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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29400882">Dark Is The Sky</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/AMGee/pseuds/AMGee'>AMGee</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Dark Is The Sky [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>BAMF Oliver Wood, BAMF Penelope Clearwater, BAMF Percy Weasley, F/M, Friendship, Hogwarts, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Post-Hogwarts, Rebellion, Spy Percy Weasley, Wizarding Wars (Harry Potter)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 09:48:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>63,812</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29400882</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/AMGee/pseuds/AMGee</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The sky is getting darker, shadows closing in.<br/>Something is coming, and they need to be prepared.</p><p>Percy, estranged from his family, leading a rebellion in which he doesn't expect to survive.<br/>Lara, scarred and worn, fighting for those who are just like her.<br/>Oliver, who wants to fly, fighting for those who have become his family.<br/>Penelope, who wants to heal, fighting to save everyone she can.</p><p>Iggy, fighting to stay awake.</p><p> This is their story.</p><p>(TW for rape, though it isn't explicit and can be skipped)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Penelope Clearwater &amp; Percy Weasley &amp; Oliver Wood, Percy Weasley/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Dark Is The Sky [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2159832</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>73</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>43</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Percy knew that Lara didn't like to be thought of as stupid. She was proud - sometimes too much so - and wouldn't admit to being wrong upon pain of death.</p><p>Percy would say that it was a fear of showing weakness; of admitting that she could be wrong and so wasn't as infalliable as she liked to pretend she was. He would be correct.</p><p>Still, he knew that it wasn't something that could be changed on a whim, and that was what ended up making all the difference in the end.</p><p> </p><p>Nick Jackson had been unexpected; he had been kind and funny and had paid attention to her in a way nobody else had, so what did it matter to Lara that his hand wrapped around her wrist tight enough to bruise? What did it matter that she felt a sharp strike of <em>wrongness </em>when they walked around the far side of the lake just before curfew? She couldn't be wrong, so why should she ruin a good thing? She was being stupid.</p><p> </p><p>"Lara," the red head had sighed as they stood in the Owlery, visiting the school owls - something they usually took an hour every week or so to do. "You <em>need </em>to be careful with Jackson. There's something up with him."</p><p>Rolling her eyes, Lara had shot him a glare. "Stop it, Percy. He's fine."</p><p>"You're kidding! He's seventeen! What would he want with a fourth year?!"</p><p>Lara had shot him a wounded look and he had immediately began to backtrack, the back of his neck and the tops of his ears burning in a mixture of embarrassment and slight annoyance at being misunderstood. "You know I didn't mean it like that. I mean it, something's wrong with this."</p><p>The girl had then shook her head in denial, letting out a breath as she lightly stroked the feathers on top of the owl's head. "There's not, Perce. I'd tell you if anything felt off. Promise."</p><p>But she hadn't, had she? She hadn't mentioned the bruises on her forearms, nor had she said a thing about the way his fingers had hurt as they dug into her waist every time he kissed her behind the greenhouses.</p><p>Percy hadn't believed her for one second, and he knew that not even she entirely believed the words, and the raised eyebrows he shot her said everything that he wouldn't for fear of losing her. Still, he had closed his eyes for a moment before speaking. "Fine, agree to disagree then. But I'm keeping my eyes open."</p><p>She had chuckled lightly, placing a hand on her best friend's shoulder for a second before dropping it. "You wouldn't be you if you didn't Percy, and I love you for it."</p><p>The boy had smiled lightly, though his eyes had been completely serious as he followed her back down the stone steps, mind  racing, searching for a lighter topic to pull them back to solid, safe, ground. "Right, sure. Did you manage to finish the essay for History of Magic? I can't think of how to end it. I mean, I've already put everything I can think of about the 1632 Goblin Rebellion, and the way it's influenced modern society, but I still need to fill in half a roll of parchment."</p><p>"Did you mention how the events led to the 1710 agreement between Wizards and Magical Creatures?"</p><p>Percy had hissed a curse that made a passing first year Gryffindor look back in horror and awe. "No. I forgot about that! If I add a paragraph of two, then put the effects as a conclusion, that'll bring it up to three rolls at least."</p><p>Lara had laughed, face lighting up at knowing something he didn't - she had always been a history lover, and was one of the very few who managed to stay aware during Binns' classes. "Maybe more if you add how it links in with the regulations we have at the moment, as well as what has and hasn't changed."</p><p>Percy had rolled his eyes at her, though the smile on his lips took away the head. "You might be pushing it a bit, Lara. I mean, this is for Binns - he might not even mark it." While yes, Percy had a love for learning new things and showing off his knowledge - something that had solidified his close friendship with his fellow Gryffindor - he wasn't a huge fan of writing long essays that wouldn't even be read, let alone marked and given back. Why should he make more than the expected effort when the same effort would not be made towards reviewing the homework?</p><p>"OWLs are next year," she had said, nudging him lightly. "And I need to pass if I want to get a job in Archaeology."</p><p>"You'll be fine. Besides, they'll be more focused on Runes and that side of things."</p><p>"Not if I want to work with Gringotts. I want to know how <em>not </em>to get skewered by a Goblin on my first day."</p><p>The boy had laughed with her as they approached the common room, saying the password and entering before collapsing on the couch in front of the fire. It was only mid-afternoon on a Monday, and the two were taking advantage of the free period.</p><p>"Chess?"</p><p>Lara scoffed but acquiseted. "Fine, go on. I'm white, though. Can't let you get too far ahead."</p><p>Percy smiled slightly. "Hey, I'm not that much better than you."</p><p>"Yeah, well..."</p><p> </p><p>"Lara!"</p><p>Percy let out a faint sigh, almost silent, as the older boy entered the common room. Keeping his eyes on the chess board. They'd only managed to make a move each.</p><p>"Want to go for a walk?"</p><p>Despite the fact that she had just come back from one, Lara had smiled and nodded, approaching the boy and leaving quietly.</p><p>So much for chess, Percy had shook his head as he tucked the pieces back in their rightful places. He had glanced arond the half-empty common room before heading up the stairs, intent on writing a letter - Bill would know what to do.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Percy was furious.</p><p> </p><p>In one hand he held a suspiciously blank old piece of ragged parchment.</p><p> </p><p>In the other he held his wand.</p><p> </p><p>He had managed to persuade his brothers to let him borrow the map for the night, as well as for them to cover for him while he was away. On another subject, the twins were going to be borrowing Scabbers for a few weeks for some sort of experiment (he had already secured their word that the rat wouldn't come into any harm while in their care).</p><p> </p><p>His face twisted into a slight smile as he entered the room and closed the door behind him.</p><p> </p><p>There was only one other occupant - Nick Jackson, who turned around as the door closed with a soft thud. It was an old classroom, one which judging by the thin layer of dust on the desks and shelves had not been used in at least a year or two.</p><p> </p><p>"Weasley," he greeted genially, a slight grin on his pockmarked face.</p><p> </p><p>Percy didn't allow him to say anything else.</p><p> </p><p>While the Weasley boy was three years younger than the seventh year, he was very far ahead. In fact, he had learned a few more spells for this <em>very</em> occasion.</p><p> </p><p>One after another, jinxes, hexes and curses escaped his lips, different coloured jets of light shooting across the room and hitting their mark.</p><p> </p><p>Of course, curses were shot back at him, a few of them hitting true. Percy had the advantage, though, knowing a more vast array of spells, anger powering the words he spat, as well as being able to surprise the older boy.</p><p> </p><p>He blinked as blood dripped into his eye, but shook his head and shot a jelly-legs jinx at the older student.</p><p> </p><p>It was over in a matter of minutes, with Jackson falling back on the ground, unable to keep going. His face was bloodied, developing bruises beginning to appear purple and blue on exposed skin.</p><p> </p><p>Percy grinned, a dark glint in his eyes as he advanced with an unusual grace, crouching down beside the boy and yanking the wand from his hands and tucking it into his back pocket. He smiled as he spoke. "You're gonna leave Hogwarts, Jackson, and you're not gonna even think about Lara ever again. If I see you anywhere near her, I'll make you wish I'd put you out of your misery."</p><p> </p><p>When the seventh year only let out a strangled groan, one which he chose to see as an agreement, Percy rose to his feet and headed out of the room. He stopped at the door, hand on the handle, and turned around only to throw the wand back at the boy.</p><p> </p><p>He closed the door lightly behind him and headed away from the room at a leisurely pace, stopping in the nearest bathroom to take a look at the damage. He had a nasty gash just above his left eyebrow, and a few bruises that were beginning to develop, along with aches and pains, but other than that, it seemed that he had gotten off rather lightly. Now, to check on the girl he had left in his dorm room.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The twins were obviously stunned when he entered the common room and headed right toward them, stopping beside them and holding out the map.</p><p> </p><p>"What in Merlin's left-"</p><p> </p><p>"Fred!" Percy rolled his eyes at the language, glancing around to make sure that nobody was paying them any attention. "It's nothing. All fine, here's the map."</p><p> </p><p>George frowned, a look which was extremely uncommon on the twelve year old's face. "But you're hurt Perce. What happened?"</p><p> </p><p>"Only what needed to. It's all fine, it won't happen again. Did Charlie notice anything?"</p><p> </p><p>Fred nodded slowly, though he didn't lose the suspicious look in his eyes. "Yeah, he asked about you. Told him you were with Flitwick asking about the Charms essay."</p><p> </p><p>"Thanks, both of you." Percy gave a wry smile and a slight wave as he left them to their devices, hiding a wince as his side flared. "I'll bring Scabbers to you in the morning."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Lara was curled up on his bed, knees pulled up to her chest, cheeks ruddy and stained with tears. Her hair was draped over her shoulders, wavy kinks revealing where it had been tied up all day.</p><p> </p><p>Percy wasn't a violent person; outside of this afternoon, he had never raised his wand to someone else outside of self-defence or a classroom, and yet as he looked at the girl curled under his covers, fear in her eyes and a shakiness in her hands, he wanted to go back and do so much worse.</p><p> </p><p>She looked up from her fingers as she entered, relief turning to shock as she caught sight of his face; he knew it wasn't pretty, but there wasn't a whole lot he could do without going to Madam Pomfrey, and there wasn't a chance in hell that he was doing that - it'd be an admission of guilt as soon as Jackson was found. "Percy - you...you didn't."</p><p> </p><p>He chuckled lightly, sitting at the end of the bed. "I did."</p><p> </p><p>Lara sighed and rolled her eyes at him. "I don't know the spell to fix that cut."</p><p> </p><p>"It's fine, I'll just say I fell."</p><p> </p><p>"Yeah, 'cause everyone’s believe that." Her voice was slightly nasally, choked with suppressed tears.</p><p> </p><p>Percy sighed as he looked at her, slowly opening his arms and when she gave a slight nod, enveloping her in a tight hug, pulling her to him where she lay her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist, tensing for a second when he hissed in pain, loosening her grip slightly but relaxing against him and closing her eyes in a semblance of trust she hadn't allowed anyone but him in the past couple of days.</p><p> </p><p>"The Hell, Percy." Oliver Wood shook his head from where he sat on his bed, Quidditch Strategy book in hand. He put on an obviously faked expression of surprise. "What happened to your face?"</p><p> </p><p>Percy shrugged. "Tripped."</p><p> </p><p>The Keeper rolled his eyes and heaved a sigh. "Sure, alright. On another topic, Jackson's been fucked up!"</p><p> </p><p>Lara stiffened at his name, her head burrowing deeper into Percy's robes. He smelled of smoke and copper and that aftershave he always wore.</p><p> </p><p>"I don't know what you think I-"</p><p> </p><p>Oliver rolled his eyes at the boy, interrupting. "I know you didn't do anything, Perce. I mean, you've been in here with me and Lara all afternoon, haven't you?"</p><p> </p><p>"What?"</p><p> </p><p>"Merlin...Percy, you've been up <em>here</em> with <em>me</em>, practicing the shield spell with me. <em>All afternoon</em>."</p><p> </p><p>The boy smiled at him. "Yes. I have. Thank you. I think I've learnt a lot today."<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Oliver laughed. "I bet you have. I mean, you picked it up quickly after my cutting curse hit you."</p><p> </p><p>Lara looked between them, stunned, before tucking her head back under her best friend's chin and closing her eyes, allowing herself to drift off for the first time in days.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>TW: Implied rape from first sentence up to “Lara,”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><br/>
His hands were on her waist, pushing her against the wall, thick fingers pushing against her delicate skin, deep enough to bruise. Skilled fingers ripped and tore and pulled and tugged at thin fabric.</p><p>Tears were on her cheeks, her throat burned from screams but no answers. Her body ached, skin feeling dirty.</p><p>He lay beside her, smile on his face, soft snores escaping his lips as he slept, and she wondered how someone who looked so innocent while asleep could do such a thing to someone he claimed to love.</p><p> </p><p>"Lara," Percy said lightly as she began to wake, his eyes soft and a smile on his face despite the bags under his eyes and the lack of colour in his cheeks. "It's okay, you had a nightmare. You're okay, I'm here. You’re safe." He murmured lightly under his breath for a few minutes, hand on her shoulder, until her breathing began to even out once more. </p><p> </p><p>She sighed lightly through trembling lips, dragging a hand over her face and rubbing her eyes. "Sorry Perce, I'll get some dreamless sleep today. Sorry I woke you."</p><p> </p><p>"It's fine, Lara, promise. I won't kick you out." He moved to sit up against the headboard, lamp beside his bed turning on as he did so. It was starting to get light outside, the sky filled with colour as the sun began to rise. "Besides, you didn't wake me up. I was already awake, just thinking."</p><p> </p><p>Lara gave a nod, holding him tighter, and resting her head on his shoulder. She hadn't expected to be able to be close with someone after Jackson, but this was Percy - her best friend. He would never hurt her if he had any say about it. "Thinking?"</p><p> </p><p>"Yeah. See, I was wondering what my Animagus form would be."</p><p> </p><p>"Yeah? Is there a way to find out?" Lara latched onto the distraction, eyes widening with excitement as she listened to his talk about something he was obviously very passionate about learning.</p><p> </p><p>Percy gave a slight nod. "I was reading about it over the weekend. It's called the Patronus charm - it's not always the same as your animagus form, as your patronus can change, but there's a high likelihood of them matching."</p><p> </p><p>The girl hummed quietly, urging him to continue.</p><p> </p><p>"Apparently, it's used to protect you from Dementors, but it's really hard to master. You need to use your happiest memory to power it."</p><p> </p><p>"We should give it a try."</p><p> </p><p>Percy smiled, a finger tapping lightly where his hand rested on her shoulder, a habit he hadn't quite managed to throw. "Yeah, we have today, but Summer starts tomorrow."</p><p> </p><p>Nodding her head, Lara rose to her feet, stumbling slightly as her foot caught on the cover. "Right then, we should get ready and go down for breakfast. Get there before there's nothing left."</p><p> </p><p>It was early on a Saturday morning, just past seven, and they were the only students other than a couple of seventh year Hufflepuffs and one solitary Ravenclaw.</p><p> </p><p>Percy picked up a muffin from the platter and fidgeted with the paper wrapper before looking at the girl beside him. "D'you want to talk about it? The nightmare, I mean?"</p><p> </p><p>Lara paused, almost denying him instantly, before remembering how good he had been to her. In the past few weeks, he had stuck by her in every moment, knowing that she didn't feel safe alone. When he hadn't been with her, being in different classes, he had set his classmates to being 'bodyguards'. When he had realised she was having nightmares almost every night, he hadn't hesitated to stay up until morning, huddled in front of the fire in the common room, holding her so she knew she was safe.</p><p> </p><p>She sighed. "Yeah, can we?"</p><p> </p><p>"Of course...uh, did you want to go somewhere else?"</p><p> </p><p>When she gave a slight nod, almost indecipherable, he smiled slightly and rose to his feet, holding a teasing hand out for her.</p><p> </p><p>Lara snorted, grabbing a slice of toast with one hand and grabbing the outstretched hand with another. "The tree?"</p><p> </p><p>There was a large oak tree close to the lake on the grounds. It had apparently been there for centuries. Its branches created an acceptable amount of shade for Percy, who as a Weasley, was extremely susceptible to sunburn, and its roots curled across the ground wide enough to create a comfortable space for the two friends to sit leaned against its trunk.</p><p> </p><p>She started quietly after a few moments of silence, her fingers tearing at a handful of grass she had pulled. "I was in the classroom with him at first..."</p><p> </p><p>Percy listened in silence as she recounted the nightmare, including the whole truth of things she hadn't told him. He already knew the bare minimum, but the words she spilled, the shake in her voice, the paleness of her face, the blank expression in her eyes, had something inside him twisting in fury as his nails dug into his palms.</p><p> </p><p>She stopped finally, breathing a sigh of relief at finally letting everything out, telling him everything.</p><p> </p><p>Percy turned his head to look at her and she was surprised to see the sadness and anger and something else she didn't understand in his eyes. He moved slowly, leaning toward her and wrapping his arms around her, pulling her close until she was flush against him.</p><p> </p><p>"I'm so sorry," he murmured, words barely heard. "I should've done more."</p><p> </p><p>"You did everything, Perce." Lara shook her head, arms tightening around him. "I should've trusted you when you said something was wrong."</p><p> </p><p>Neither of them said anything for a long time, relaxing in the morning sun as they watched the squid lazily float across the surface.</p><p> </p><p>Jackson had left - apparently leaving early as his NEWTs were already over - but Percy knew Lara was still terrified. He knew that she didn't feel safe, but didn't know how to help other than being with her as much as he could.</p><p> </p><p>There had been questions about Jackson's beaten-up appearance, but with him not giving answers, and Percy's explanation of duelling with Oliver...well, no answers could be found and life went on as much as it could.</p><p> </p><p>Of course, Percy and Oliver had each received a detention for duelling, but to nobody’s surprise, his loyal friend still hadn't said anything, taking the undeserved punishment without complaint. His birthday was coming up, and Percy and Lara were pooling their money to try and buy him a new broom; obviously not one that would be top of the range, but a brand new Cleansweep Seven would be a lot better than the mangy old school broom he was currently using, though it would clear out their budget for a while, they had agreed that he more than deserved it.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Summer hadn't been good.</p><p>Lara had woken her parents up almost every night for the first week, and after that had ordered a few batches of dreamless sleep from Diagon Alley, staying awake each night until they finally arrived. She just needed enough to cope until she could see Percy; he always helped with nightmares. She couldn't wait until she was back to the castle.</p><p>11th August<br/>Dear Lara,</p><p>How is your holiday going? Are you coping alright? I bet you're looking forward to getting back to Hogwarts in a few weeks.</p><p>Are you planning on coming to Oliver's birthday party this Friday? I'm looking forward to getting out of the house for a while - Charlie's run off to Romania to work on a Dragon Reservation, so Mum's going mental!</p><p>Maybe we could meet up at Diagon this week to pick up his present?</p><p>Percy</p><p>—</p><p> </p><p>13th August<br/>Percy,</p><p>Hey, it's going okay - bit of a difficult week this week, but I've managed to get some sleep thanks to dreamless sleep. I'm running low, but I think I have enough to cope 'til the first. Definitely! I can't wait to start the fifth year History curriculum - it's meant to be really interesting this year.</p><p>I am, I'm looking forward to it actually. It'll be nice to get out, Mum and Dad have been pestering me like you wouldn't believe to get ahead on studying - I've barely left my room! They're worse than you! </p><p>You're kidding, Romania?! Wow, I knew he wanted to work with dragons, but I can't imagine living with them!</p><p>That sounds great, I'm free Tuesday if that's good with you?</p><p>Love, Lara</p><p> </p><p>Lara sat at a table outside Fortescue's, eating her Honeycomb ice cream as she waited patiently for her friend to arrive. She hoped he'd be there soon; his ice cream was melting.</p><p>She smiled and waved when Percy arrived, holding up a spoon as he looked around for her before approaching.</p><p>"Hey."</p><p>"Hiya, how's your mum coping with the disappearing dragon rider?"</p><p>Percy laughed lightly and rolled his eyes as he took a bite of ice cream, smiling at the taste of coffee. "Not well, honestly. Alternating between crying about two sons leaving home and being angry that he left without telling her. She was not happy to get a letter from him telling her he'd left and moved out while she was shopping with Ron."</p><p>"I'd have killed to be there," Lara said with a laugh as she scraped at the bottom of the bowl for melted cream.</p><p>"You really wouldn't." Percy disagreed with a grimace as he shook his head. "Low fuse would be an understatement."</p><p>"Although," Percy said a few minutes later as they walked towards Quality Quidditch Supplies. He dodged around a serious-looking wizard and continued. "She said if your parents agree, after the party, you can stay at mine for the rest of the holidays, save your parents from having to drive you up to the station."</p><p>"Really?"</p><p>Percy smiled at the amazement and hope in her face. "Yeah, obviously she'll want you to room with Ginny, but I bet we can figure something out if you want."</p><p>Grinning widely, Lara nodded her head. "I'd love that, Perce. How did you manage it?"</p><p>The boy gave a sly smile; one which would have perfectly suited him in the house which the Sorting Hat had considered for him first. "Well, I just told Mum that it wouldn't be right to spend my Birthday without Charlie. I need the moral support of my best friend."</p><p>"You're so evil. I love it!" Lara laughed, nudging him gently.</p><p>The Cleansweep Seven wasn't in the window, already having been replaced with the Nimbus 2000 (the price tag of which had made Percy lose all of the colour in his already-pale face), but they found it quickly near the back of the shop.</p><p>"D'you think he'd want the specs book, too?" Lara wondered aloud as she flipped through the pages.</p><p>"How much is it?"</p><p>"Just twelve sickles for this one."</p><p>Percy mentally added up the cost of the broom and what they had managed to save up over the course of the year, and gave a nod. "Yeah, I bet he would. We can afford that."</p><p>Their time at Hogwarts that year had been spent doing odd jobs in Hogsmeade on the weekends to earn some spare change, and it had started to add up quickly when they put the money together. Percy had continued that over summer as much as he could, without the limits created by being in classes during the week. Lara, on the other hand, had been working in the Muggle world, returning from cutting grass and washing cars and tidying with bunches of messily folded notes in her pockets.</p><p>They quickly paid for the broom before proudly leaving the shop, the broom held under Percy's arm and the book in Lara's bag.</p><p>"I have a galleon left," Percy said as they walked around a stall selling amulets and crystals. "Would you mind if we stopped at the Nook?"</p><p>The Nook was a small second hand bookshop and cafe near the far end of Diagon Alley. It was rarely ever busy; shoppers usually stopped at Flourish and Blotts. It had become somewhat of a tradition for Percy and Lara to visit at least once a year every time they visited the shopping street.</p><p>The scent of sweet coffee and old books attacked their noses as they entered and greeted the lady at the counter -Martha, a middle-aged woman who had inherited the shop from her grandfather a year previously - before finding a comfortable spot near the back corner beside a large bookshelf filled with History books and books on politics.</p><p>Percy was quick to snatch a slightly shabby copy of 'Prefects and Their Places in Politics', slouching down in the over-stuffed leather sofa with a smile. "I've been waiting for this to come in!"</p><p>Lara smiled fondly, her eyes warm. "I'll go get us some drinks and cookies." The boy barely looked up from where his nose was firmly lodged in the well-thumbed pages.</p><p>Stepping up to the counter, Lara gave Martha a warm grin. "Morning, could we have two hot chocolates and a plate of chocolate chip cookies?"</p><p>"Of course. Anything else, Dear?"</p><p>Lara shook her head. "Thank you."</p><p>"Perfect, I'll bring your drinks over to you."</p><p>"Thanks Martha," Lara said lightly as she turned to go back to her friend. </p><p>A poster on the wall caught her eye; Wiseacre’s Wizarding Equipment. Below the heading was the image of a wizarding record player, silver vinyl spinning lazily. <br/>She grinned - it must be a sign, she thought as she pondered the same exact model wrapped up in her bedroom, a handful of second-hand vinyl sleeves beside it, just waiting to be gifted.</p><p>"Lara," Percy breathed as she sat beside him. "Look! There's this charm..."</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They met up around the corner from Oliver's.</p><p> </p><p>It was a small wizarding street in a rural area of Scotland, with rolling hills close by - the two Gryffindors could just picture Oliver and his older brother flying, tossing a quaffle back and forth well into the night.</p><p> </p><p>Mr. Weasley gave them both a grin - obviously happy to see Percy socialising more than usual - before disapparating, Lara's trunk in hand.</p><p> </p><p>"So, what's this I hear about you getting Prefect?" Lara asked teasingly.</p><p> </p><p>"What's this I hear about <em>you</em> getting Prefect?"</p><p> </p><p>"Terrible choice, huh? Imagine putting <em>me</em> in charge of a load of kids?"</p><p> </p><p>Percy snorted, adjusting his grip on the large wrapped box as they headed down the road. Lara had mentioned putting the broom in a box while they had been considering how to wrap it only the day before, stating that Oliver wasn't stupid - he <em>knew</em> what a broom looked like.</p><p> </p><p>It turned out that Oliver had absolutely loved his presents, capturing them both in affectionate but too-tight hugs as he declared that he was going to test it - until his mother had shot him a withering glare that had sufficiently cowed him. He had kept the broom beside him and would occasionally brush his hand across the varnished wood with an amazed smile on his face.</p><p> </p><p>The front room where the small group sat was warm and cosy, with a deep maroon rug and dark brown leather sofas that made Lara think of the Gryffindor common room.</p><p> </p><p>"So go on, Penny," Percy said. "Truth or dare?"</p><p> </p><p>Penelope Clearwater shot the newly named Prefect a mocking glower. "Truth."</p><p> </p><p>"Oh come on, had a great dare, too...uh..."</p><p> </p><p>Lara leaned forward to whisper in his ear, and he grinned devilishly. "Shag, marry, kill. Snape, Dumbledore and McGonagall."</p><p> </p><p>"Merlin, Lara. Not holding back, are you?" Oliver whistled with a grin as he took a sip of butterbeer, grimacing slightly at the odd taste (Penny's older sister had given her a large bottle of firewhiskey the night before, and the group had been pouring a small amount into every drink).</p><p> </p><p>"I so hate you, Grey. Erm...I guess I'd have to shag Snape. Ew. Marry McGonagall, she seems like the most bearable. Kill Dumbledore...the beard really isn't for me."</p><p> </p><p>The group laughed at the grimace on her face. "Guess I'll have to change the game. Sorry, Olly, shag, marry, kill. Lara, Minister Fudge and Professor Trelawney."</p><p> </p><p>The boy laughed as he leaned back against the sofa, having slid onto the ground an hour earlier. "Gotta marry Lara. Sorry Perce. Kill Fudge - can't stand the guy. Shag Trelawney - surely, knowing the future, she's gotta have some knowledge."</p><p> </p><p>"It's in the tea leaves," Penny murmured, bugging her eyes out and crossing them, dragging laughter from the group around her.</p><p> </p><p>"Lara, shag, marry, kill. Percy, Professor Binns and Filch."</p><p> </p><p>"Are you <em>joking</em>?" Her voice was lost in their laughter, and it took a few minutes to calm them down.</p><p> </p><p>"Percy," she whined, but he shot her a grin, eyes bright, offering no help whatsoever.</p><p> </p><p>"Fine! Uh, gotta marry Perce..."</p><p> </p><p>"You need to ask me first," Percy teased, earning a sharp elbow to the ribs in retaliation.</p><p> </p><p>"oh god no...who do I kill? Can I kill them both? Can you even kill a ghost?"</p><p> </p><p>Penny grinned viciously. "I don't know, Lara. I mean, Filch has a lot of...ah, knowledge...you know his nickname?"</p><p> </p><p>"What?" Lara frowned, mind whirring as she searched for any mentions of the caretaker.</p><p> </p><p>"<em>Mr</em>. Norris!"</p><p> </p><p>"Having fun?" Mrs Wood asked as she entered, holding a plate full of sandwiches.</p><p> </p><p>None of them replied in a way that was decipherable, laughing too heavily. When one of them seemed to start to calm down, they glanced at the others and seemed to start the raucous chortling anew.</p><p> </p><p>The older witch smiled warmly as she left the room, closing the door gently behind her.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Percy and Lara were grinning as they stumbled from the fireplace at the burrow, cheeks red and aching from a day of laughter. The room smelled of fresh food, and there was a full pot of soup on the stove, steam rising in delicate tendrils.</p><p> </p><p>"Oh, Lara," Mrs Weasley said as she moved forward, pulling the girl into a tight hug. "You told your parents where you were going before you left, didn't you?"</p><p> </p><p>Lara caught the slightly passive-aggressive tone as she gave an affirmative answer and glanced to Percy for help. He shrugged in response, pushing up his glasses and brushing some ash from the fireplace off his freckled cheek.</p><p> </p><p>"Did you get a letter from Charlie, Mum?"</p><p> </p><p>The woman's face turned stormy. "He's managed to get burnt."</p><p> </p><p>Arthur sighed wearily, obviously having heard this multiple times since the letter's arrival. "He lives in a Dragon Sanctuary, Dear. It's going to happen."</p><p> </p><p>Percy grabbed Lara's hand and made a quick escape. "Come on, I'll show you Hermes."</p><p> </p><p>Lara was quick to follow him, but before they managed to leave the room, Arthur frowned. "Can I talk to you two?"</p><p> </p><p>Oh no, Lara thought as they walked behind him to the small shed at the end of the garden.</p><p> </p><p>"Have fun?" His tone was deceptively pleasant.</p><p> </p><p>Percy, ever the Gryffindor, plucked up his courage and nodded. "Yes. We did. Oliver loved his present. We very rarely survived with intact ribs. We got married."</p><p> </p><p>The man was nodding along but suddenly paused. "'Scuse me?"</p><p> </p><p>Lara snorted lightly, tearing her eyes away from the half-toaster, half-lamp. "He's joking, Mr Weasley. Just something funny."</p><p> </p><p>"Ah, and what about the firewhiskey?"</p><p> </p><p>"Sorry?"</p><p> </p><p>Lara didn't say anything, her eyes scanning the room, admiring the different things. A plug sat on one table, completely open with wires hanging out. She wondered whether it was even possible to fix it.</p><p> </p><p>The man rolled his eyes. "You're both fourteen. Where did you get firewhiskey?"</p><p> </p><p>"To be fair, Dad," Percy began lightly, a bland smile on his face as he took a subtle step backward. "I'm fifteen in two days. Lara's fifteen in a couple weeks."</p><p> </p><p>Lara scoffed lightly. "I don't think you're making the point you think you are, Perce."</p><p> </p><p>He shot her a glare, while Mr Weasley gave a tired sigh and raised his eyes to the ceiling for a moment. "Right, go on."</p><p> </p><p>"Really?" Lara rolled her eyes at the boy's question and pulled him away.</p><p> </p><p>"Thanks for taking us, Mr Weasley. We really appreciate it. C'mon Perce, I want to see your new Owl."</p><p> </p><p>Arthur Weasley sighed in amusement as they hurriedly left, looking back every so often, and sat down on a chair next to his desk, picking up the plug and frowning when something stung him.</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was in their seventh year that everything that they thought they had known began to change.</p><p> </p><p>It started on the train.</p><p> </p><p>Percy smiled at his best friend as they took their seats in the usual compartment a few minutes before the train was due to set off. On his robes was a freshly polished badge declaring him to be Head Boy. "Did you manage to get read through this year's Potions book? I read-"</p><p> </p><p>"Bloody hell, Perce," Oliver said from the doorway, customary smile on his face. He wore his Quidditch sweater on top of a shirt and pair of scruffy jeans. "Let us sit down first."</p><p> </p><p>Penny pushed the boy inside, sitting down beside him. "Well done on Head Boy, Percy." She pulled on the front of her blue-hemmed robe, revealing the badge's counterpart.</p><p> </p><p>He smiled widely, surprise on his face. "Well done! Why didn't you tell any of us?"</p><p> </p><p>"Wanted it to be a surprise."</p><p> </p><p>The train ride had started off fine, though Percy and Penny had disappeared for an hour to meet with the new fifth year Prefects and give them their orders, and Oliver had regaled Lara with tales of him and his brother's trip to Spain over the summer, smiling as he showed off the tan he had acquired.</p><p> </p><p>Lara had moved to lean against Percy once he and Penny returned, closing her eyes and attempting to get an hour or so of sleep before they arrived at the castle. She smiled lightly as she felt him wrap a warm arm around her shoulders, fingers tapping lightly as he read the Potions book he had been talking about since they had arrived.</p><p> </p><p>Naturally, they were only an hour out when the train slid to a stop and the lights went out.</p><p> </p><p>"That-that's not supposed to happen," Penny murmured, pressing her face to the window in an attempt to see outside.</p><p> </p><p>Everything was going cold, Percy noticed subconsciously as he felt Lara beginning to huddle closer to him for either comfort or warmth, he wasn't sure.</p><p> </p><p>It was only when he started to think of things he didn't want to that he started to become suspicious. He brought out his wand, frowning as something niggled in the back of his mind. He flinched slightly as the thoughts started to get worse, so much harder to handle, mixed in with the screams of his mother as she learned of her brothers’ deaths. </p><p> </p><p>"Dementors!" He exclaimed quietly. "They must be looking for Black. But they shouldn't be on the train."</p><p> </p><p>"What do we do?" Oliver's voice was quiet, barely heard over the sounds of students panicking.</p><p> </p><p>Percy rose to his feet slowly. "I'm going to go out, get everyone back in their places and explain what is happening. I'll be back."</p><p> </p><p>Lara copied him. "I can cast a patronus, too, Perce. I can help."</p><p> </p><p>The two had managed to learn the patronus charm in their fifth year after almost three whole months of non-stop practicing.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"You two had <em>better</em> show us when we get to Hogwarts."</p><p> </p><p>Oliver and Penny stayed in the compartment while Lara and Percy left, splitting up with a reluctant smile shared between them.</p><p> </p><p>Fortunately, neither of them needed to do anything, as a silver patronus - a wolf - shot past them, the dementor being chased off the train instantly.</p><p> </p><p>"Wow," she murmured with a bemused shake of her head. "Who do you reckon that was, then?"</p><p> </p><p>As it turned out, it was their new Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor - Professor Lupin - who at <em>least</em> seemed like he knew what he was doing.</p><p> </p><p>They spent the rest of the train ride chatting and laughing and trying to put the dementors out of their minds, pretending that none of them had been affected. None of them quite managed it, but they all gave one another the peace of playing along for the moment; they'd have time to talk in the future.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Later that night, sitting on the floor between Percy and Oliver's beds, Penny safe in the Ravenclaw dorms, the trio talked. Jack Wilson, their other dorm mate, a quiet boy who had a close friendship with a group of Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws, ignored them, used to their antics, intent on the book in his hands.</p><p>Despite not knowing the reasons for her change of situation, Professor McGonagall had long since given up on forcing Lara to sleep in her own bed, knowing that it was better for her to be with Percy than for her to wake up the whole of Gryffindor tower with her screams - as had happened the few times she had been forced back to the girls' dormitories.</p><p>After the first week, the entirety of their year had gone to McGonagall with a petition for her to be moved.</p><p>With the agreement of the three Gryffindor boys, a new bed had been added to the room, against the far wall beside Percy's, the next day.<br/>
If it was rarely ever used, well, their Head of House didn't really need to know.</p><p> </p><p>They had pulled the pillows from their beds, creating a comfortable nest for them all to sit together, followed by the three quilts which they bundled on top of them, searching for heat; something which had been missing since the train had stopped in the middle of the tracks a couple hours previously.</p><p> </p><p>"I remembered my Da," Oliver whispered, slight accent coming out with exhaustion, taking a large sip of the firewhiskey he had smuggled in under Filch's less than sharp eyes. "I could hear him an' Mam yellin', could hear him hit her an' slam the door when he left."</p><p> </p><p>Lara grabbed his hand, holding it tight, rubbing circles into the back as she gave him a comforting smile, while Percy brought the duvet up, making sure that it covered Oliver up to his shoulders, uncomfortably shrugging off the thankful smile he was shot. It was only in that moment that he felt the cold that had filled him beginning to recede.</p><p> </p><p>"I didn't - I could see my Uncles. Mum got the news that they’d been killed, you know...and then," Percy murmured, almost too quiet to be heard. "Then the thoughts came back all at once and I just wanted to go. To go and never come back."</p><p> </p><p>Oliver brought him closer, wrapping an arm around each of the two smaller Gryffindors. He remembered the way he had held the younger boy when he didn't believe <em>anyone</em> would care if he disappeared; could remember how Percy had <em>wallowed</em> in self-hatred for years before they had managed to pull him further out of his shell.</p><p> </p><p>Percy smiled slightly, closing his eyes for a moment as warmth filled him. It helped, not forever, but for a while.</p><p> </p><p>Lara grabbed at Percy's hand, entangling their fingers together as he shot her an encouraging smile, his eyes kind and warm and patient. "I could remember Nick. He - he was on top of me and his hands were digging into my waist and he was hurting me and he wanted me to stop crying."</p><p> </p><p>They stayed silent for a long time, close together between the two beds, legs going numb from the uncomfortable positions.<br/>
It didn't matter to them - of course it didn't - they were together, and they were back at the one place they all considered home.</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Naturally, when Lara, Percy and Oliver woke for the final time early the next morning, they were a mix between amused and irritated that they had fallen asleep on the floor.</p><p> </p><p>Percy had complained relentlessly as they trudged down to the Great Hall, rubbing at sore body parts as they moved. Penny had laughed herself silly as they had explained the reason for their less-than-stellar moods to her - she had long since gotten over the feeling of being the only non-Gryffindor in the friend group.</p><p> </p><p>"Oh, <em>perfect</em>!" Lara had celebrated as they received their timetables, Professor McGonagall shooting them a sharp look as she noticed their pale faces and bags under their eyes, as well as the stiff way in which they held themselves. "History of Magic first thing with the Hufflepuffs."</p><p> </p><p>Percy hummed lightly. "At least we can get a bit more sleep." He ignored the withering glare she shot him, instead opting to take a sip of hot tea to hide the amused smile on his lips.</p><p> </p><p>"Eat your food, Percy," Oliver scolded lightly, eyes concerned but warm as he gestured to the mostly full plate in front of the Head Boy, who rolled his eyes up to the ceiling.</p><p> </p><p>"Come on," Percy sighed, rising to his feet after finishing off the last bite of bacon and picking up his bag. "Let's go get seats at the back, near the window."</p><p> </p><p>Lara rolled her eyes at them both but did the same of them, grabbing a muffin from the platter, knowing she would probably start to feel hungry soon.</p><p> </p><p>Typically, the History of Magic lesson was beyond boring and within the first twenty minutes, Percy and Oliver had fallen asleep. Although, to be fair to the third Weasley child, he had managed to hang on for just over ten minutes, making notes in his slanted and rushed (but somehow still terribly legible) handwriting, before his eyes began to droop and he had laid his head to rest on top of the thick book in front of him.</p><p> </p><p>Lara rolled her eyes as she looked at them at the forty-five minute mark. Percy was long gone, light whispers escaping slightly parted lips, glasses crooked and likely uncomfortable squashed against the book. Oliver, on the other hand, was leaned back in his chair, head thrown back to the ceiling. She could see a small line of drool trailing from the corner of his mouth and smiled, committing it to memory.</p><p> </p><p>Well, she decided, it wasn't like she hadn't gone through the Troll Rebellions of 1746 already.</p><p> </p><p>With a sigh, she put her parchment to the side, casting a murmured drying charm on it, and closed the lid of her ink pot, tucking them both safely into her messenger bag before copying her best friend and resting her head on her book, closing her eyes and allowing the darkness to take her.</p><p> </p><p>Thankfully, the three of them were well-rested in time for Transfiguration late that afternoon, and considering the raised eyebrow Professor McGonagall shot them, she knew the precise reason for it.</p><p> </p><p>She listened attentitively, making precise notes in colour-coded ink as the Professor went through the processes of inanimate-to-animate transfiguration in more detail than ever before. Lara had never been a particular fan of Transfiguration despite the fact that her Head of House was by far her favourite professor, and she usually struggled with understanding the theory behind different spells despite fully enjoying the practical lessons - but for once, as she packed away her things, she smiled at understanding the lesson.</p><p> </p><p>"Miss Grey, could you stay back a moment?"</p><p> </p><p>Lara gave Percy and Oliver a slight smile and nod when they paused as if to stay with her, and knew as the door closed behind them that they were going to be waiting for her.</p><p> </p><p>"Professor McGonagall."</p><p> </p><p>The woman gave her a long look, eyes seeming to look through her. "I noticed that you and your...companions...seem rather out of sorts this morning. Is there something that is troubling you?"</p><p> </p><p>Lara sighed lightly and shook her head, eyes on the desk between them. "No, Professor. It was just a bad night for all of us. The dementors made a bit of an impact."</p><p> </p><p>The first time they had woken up was because of Lara at around one in the morning. She had screamed, thrashing as she fought to get away from where she was tangled between the two boys, trapped in memories of pain and terror and hopelessness. It had taken almost an hour to calm her down enough that her body wasn't trembling and they were able to drift off once more.</p><p> </p><p>Lara had woken naturally about an hour after that to see Percy sitting up, eyes distant and brows furrowed as he thought deeply. Her heart had lurched when she had seen his face in the moonlight, tears turned silver in the dim light. She had slid closer to him, wrapping her arms around his lithe body and resting her head on his shoulder, smiling against his pyjama top as he had held her closer, a sigh escaping his body as something heavy left his shoulders for a moment.</p><p> </p><p>The two of them had stayed awake for a couple hours after that, lost in their thoughts, whispering to one another occasionally as something got too heavy for only one person to hold.</p><p> </p><p>Oliver had woken just before five with a stifled yelp. His face had been pale and he had been kicking in his sleep, trying to get away from an invisible foe. He had told them in a whisper how as a child, before his father had left, the one thing he could do was run. He likened it to his love of Quidditch; borne of the desire to climb on a broom and fly away, never to return.</p><p> </p><p>They had only got an hour of sleep after that, and it didn't feel like a lot, but when they had woken up under warm quilts on the ground, arms and legs tangled to the point it took a minute to stand up, they had smiled.</p><p> </p><p>"Sorry, Professor...did-did you say something?"</p><p> </p><p>The woman gave her a soft look. "Is there anything that can be done to help?"</p><p> </p><p>Lara paused before shaking her head. "I don't think so. We all...they affected us a lot, but...it's the nightmares. We just need time."</p><p> </p><p>Professor McGonagall stared at her for a moment, lips pursed. "May I ask. These nightmares. Are they the same ones you had before moving to your dormitory?"</p><p> </p><p>"Yes, Ma'am."</p><p> </p><p>"They started rather suddenly," she observed pointedly.</p><p> </p><p>Lara had never told anybod about what had happened with Nick. To her knowledge, nor had Percy, Oliver or Penny.</p><p> </p><p>She remembered speaking to Percy over the summer holidays. He had told her about how he wished he had told someone, how he wished he had done more.</p><p> </p><p>Lara stood taller, nodding her head as she opened her mouth and began. "Something happened in fourth year, Professor, but it's a bit of a long story."</p><p> </p><p>"We have time, Miss Grey. Would you like me to send your friends on their way?" The Professor's eyes were kind, her mouth slightly down turned with concern.</p><p> </p><p>The girl paused. "Do you think - could Percy stay?"</p><p> </p><p>She stayed in the spot she was standing without turning around as the professor sent Oliver to dinner and brought Percy inside.</p><p> </p><p>When Percy shot her a searching look, she gave a light sigh. "You were right, Perce. It isn't something we can keep between us anymore."</p><p> </p><p>The Head Boy smiled widely, though his eyes were gentle, linking their hands together as if sending her all of his strength; somehow, that's exactly what it felt like he had done. "I'm proud of you, Lara. You're doing the right thing."</p><p> </p><p>Lara turned to her Professor and began the story. "It began in third year, Professor..."</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Look Perce," Lara huffed and rolled her eyes. "All I mean is that if you were to use Wingardium Leviosa in a duel, it'd be more effective than something meant for duelling."</p><p>The Head Boy shot her a mocking glower as he shook his head in disagreement. "No. You're wrong. Stupefy, for example, is faster."</p><p>"But if you used Stupefy, they'd expect it. The red light's pretty unmistakable, and so easier to dodge and block. If you transfigured something in the area into an animal or something that could either distract them, or attack them, it'd be more-"</p><p>Oliver sighed from his seat beside the two of them. "Merlin, I'm going to murder you two, and I won't be using a common duelling spell!"</p><p>Percy and Lara exchanged matching smiles, knowing full well that their usual playful debates were wont to agitate their friend. They had long since began having disagreements about some of the more unusual aspects of their subjects, enjoying the different insights they could give one another into different topics. </p><p>The trio sat in the fourth floor abandoned Defence classroom. Apparently, it had been abandoned over a decade before during the first wizarding war, after class sizes decreased enough that the extra rooms weren't needed. There were multiple similar rooms on different floors, but the four seventh years had long since declared it theirs. Oliver lounged across a transfigured beanbag which had once been an uncomfortable wooden straight-backed chair, while Lara and Percy perched upon the teacher's desk at the front of the room. Penny, unfortunately, had Ancient Runes for the afternoon, while the others had a free period before dinner.</p><p>They hadn't been leaving the castle too often, with the dementors leaving them feeling worse than before. Percy and Lara had redoubled their efforts to teach the other two the Patronus charm despite the fact that they were so much harder to perform when the dark voice in the back of your mind told you to give up.</p><p>"I can prove it. Come on, Perce." Lara grinned mischievously as she jumped to her feet, startling Iggy who had been snoring beside her. The part-kneazle hissed lightly at her before closing his eyes once more.</p><p>The red head huffed reluctantly, but there was a slight smile on his face as he copied her, walking to the other side of the room and raising his wand.</p><p>Oliver let out a quiet groan. "Merlin help me. Percy, only common duelling spells. Lara, anything but common duelling spells. First to tap out loses."</p><p>"Usual rules?"</p><p>Percy gave a slight nod. The usual rules were reasonably simple; nothing dangerous, stop as soon as the other taps out. Don't hit while down.</p><p>With that, they began. </p><p>Percy was quick to shoot a stunner, sighing lightly when a wall rose from the ground to block it. A small smattering of powdery stone fell to the ground.</p><p>Lara took up the offensive, transfiguring a nearby book into a flock of birds which immediately began to attack Percy, wings hitting his face and beaks pecking at his robes, obscuring his eyes.</p><p>The boy managed to vanish them quickly, lamenting the loss of an old book as he flicked his wand, sending Lara back into the wall. He stopped for a moment, watching until she rose to her feet and gave a subtle nod, before raising his wand and firing...nothing.</p><p>"What are you two doing?!" Professor McGonagall shrieked as she burst into the room, already beginning a lecture on the dangers of duelling. "-and you, Mr Wood. Sitting and watching?"</p><p>The trio tried to explain that it wasn't a real duel, but to no avail, being sent off to their common room with thirty less house points than before.</p><p>"Gotta remember to silence the room next time," Oliver muttered. "D'you know how to do that, Perce?"</p><p> </p><p>"What's with the crowd?" Lara asked curiously. "Someone forget the password again?"</p><p>The whole of the Gryffindor house stood still outside the entrance to their common room, shocked into stillness. Whispers passed around from those at the front.</p><p>As Percy reached the front, Lara and Oliver in tow, fighting through the dense crowd, he let out a soft curse, raising his wand. "Expecto Patronum."</p><p>As the silvery fox sprang from his wand, he spoke lightly, trying to project as much calmness as he could into his voice, but knowing that he was failing miserably. "Get the Headmaster and Professor McGonagall. Tell them the Fat Lady's been attacked."</p><p>The animal dutifully shot off, leaving a still silence in its wake. </p><p>The Headmaster and their Head of House appeared only a moment later, their wands raced as they pushed through to their side.</p><p>As Professor Dumbledore spoke with the surrounding portraits, Professor McGonagall spoke to Percy, her voice and expression deadly serious. "Mr Weasley, lead your house to the Great Hall. Other houses will be arriving momentarily. Keep everyone settled."</p><p>Percy gave a proud nod as he turned and began to move the protesting crowd in the right direction. His heart was beating fast with apprehension as he scanned the group for his siblings and their friends - he definitely didn't want a repeat of the troll incident back in fifth year.</p><p> </p><p>Lara let out a light sigh as the three Gryffindors lay in one corner of the Great Hall. The Professors had returned about an hour before and allowed Percy and Penny to stop patrolling between the rows of scared, sleeping students. She had noticed the way they had positioned themselves on each side of her, and had rolled her eyes at the over-protective actions, hiding the warm feeling that rose in her chest.</p><p>She glanced around, noting that Percy was fast asleep, light breaths escaping his lips. Good - he hadn't been sleeping too well lately. On her other side was Oliver, his eyes closed, but snores nonexistant; awake.</p><p>"Y'okay?" Oliver murmured, voice almost lost to the sound of snores surrounding them.</p><p>She shrugged lightly, turning to look at him, eyes scanning the room. Headmaster Dumbledore was just passing the Slytherins close to where the staff would be seated during meals. Professor Snape was closer, standing by the door, wand in hand and a vicious scowl on his face. Professor McGonagall was kneeling by a fourth year Ravenclaw, murmuring lightly.</p><p>"Fine. Can't sleep."</p><p>Oliver gave a sleepy nod. "Me too. Tried to count bludgers, but gave up at two hundred."</p><p>The girl gave a soft snicker, shifting uncomfortably as the cold, hard ground beneath her. "Reciting A History of 15th Century Rebellions for me."</p><p>The Keeper smiled at her, muffling a yawn with a hand. "Surprised that didn't put you right to sleep."</p><p>"Maybe I'll try going through your Quidditch strategies instead. That'll work."</p><p>Professor McGonagall cleared her throat pointedly as she passed them, narrowed eyes showing her feelings without words. </p><p>Oliver and Lara whispered insincere apologies, waiting until she was far enough away not to hear them before exchanging grins and continuing with their conversation, albeit a little quieter.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The seventh years sat in The Gryffindor dormitory, piles of presents in front of them.</p><p> </p><p>It was early in the morning - before six - and Penelope had abused her position of Head Girl to get across the castle and enter their dorm to wake them up. She had smiled at their glares, lightly tossing brightly wrapped packages onto the end of their beds.</p><p> </p><p>"D'you have any idea what <em>time</em> it is, Pen?" Oliver grumbled as he opened the curtains and lit the various lamps around the room with a few flicks of his wand, muttering the spells under his breath.</p><p> </p><p>She gave a careless shrug, looking much younger than her seventeen years as she took a seat on Lara's empty bed, pulling her feet under her. "C'mon, don't be a bunch of spoilsports! This is our last <em>ever</em> Hogwarts Christmas!"</p><p> </p><p>That seemed to be the magic word that got everyone to put on their festive faces, sitting up against the headboards and pulling the wrapped presents into their spaces.</p><p> </p><p>Lara smiled, wiping sleep from her eyes. "Who's first?"</p><p> </p><p>"You?" Percy suggested lightly. "Youngest first?"</p><p> </p><p>The girl gave a nod and shrug as the other three pulled the gifts from their hiding places and passed them over, Oliver being the only one to throw it without leaving his bed. She raised an eyebrow at the huge, likely heavy, package Percy pulled from an unnoticed corner of the room, placing it gently at the end of their bed.</p><p> </p><p>She decided to open the one from Penny first, taking great care not to rip the shiny silver paper. She let out a light gasp of amazement as she revealed a book. "Sites of Magical Sorcery?! Oh, this is the edition with the warding theories!" Her eyes were wide and full of adoration as she shot forward, embracing the girl. "Thank you! Oh, Merlin, I can't wait to read it!"</p><p> </p><p>Penny smiled as the girl carefully placed the book on the bed beside her, out of the way, and picked up the next present, a small box that fit in the palm of her hand, wrapped in a paper filled with moving Snitches.</p><p> </p><p>"Five Galleons for Maestro's Music Shop?! Wow, we'll be able to get the new Weird Sisters album now, too!" She exclaimed, looking at Percy as they both smiled. "Thank you, Olly, I love it!"</p><p> </p><p>They had been making a list of different vinyls they wanted to buy since September, saving up their money while they worked weekends at Hogsmeade. They had enough for three or four vinyls, with the rest of the money going into the relatively large savings pot they had been working on since back in fourth year.</p><p> </p><p>The Keeper gave a smile, obviously pleased at the reaction, and suppressed a slight yawn; Quidditch practice had ended late the night before, and he could feel the fatigue weighing down on him.</p><p> </p><p>There were only three presents left in front of Lara; a box containing something homemade from Mrs Weasley, a small envelope from her parents, likely containing leaflets for muggle universities, and the heavy, large, shoddily wrapped box Percy had given her a moment before.</p><p> </p><p>Picking up Percy's present, she pulled on the spellotape, smirking as the wrapping paper fell apart almost instantly. Her eyebrows raised as she looked at the cage in shock. Inside, sleeping, lay a curled up red animal. "Perce...that - that is a Kneazle."</p><p> </p><p>The boy gave a nod, raising an eyebrow. "It appears that you <em>do</em>, infact, listen in Care of Magical Creatures. Congratulations."</p><p> </p><p>She raised an eyebrow. "I'll clarify. Perce, how in the name of Merlin's saggy left -"</p><p> </p><p>"Ahem." Penny faked a cough, eyes narrowing slightly.</p><p> </p><p>Lara rolled her eyes, a small smile curving her lips. "Okay, how did you manage to buy and hide a Kneazle in our dorm?"</p><p> </p><p>The boy flushed slightly, the prelude to what was likely an admission of rule-breaking. "I...uh, while you and Penny were in Hogsmeade yesterday, Oliver and I apparated to Diagon Alley and collected him. He's only part-kneazle, though. Just a matter of placing a silencing charm around the cage while I wrapped him up. I'll release it now." He felt around for his wand, muttering the spell.</p><p> </p><p>She smiled as the soft purring snores filled the room, leaning over to wrap an arm around him and place a light kiss to his cheek. "Thank you Perce, Ol, I love him. Does he have a name?"</p><p> </p><p>Both boys shook their heads.</p><p> </p><p>Lara frowned for a moment. "I'll find one. He's beautiful! I love him!"</p><p> </p><p>She unlatched the cage, watching carefully as amber eyes opened and the animal surveyed her.</p><p> </p><p>In less than a minute, she had the cage pushed away to the end of the bed and a warm part-kneazle laying across her lap. She smiled widely, mouthing a thanks to him as she ran her hand through the long fur.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>She watched patiently as Percy was the next to open his presents, being the next youngest after her. He had smiled at the bundle of pre-paid vouchers for different shops through Diagon Alley, and grinned at the Anthology of Eighteenth-Century Charms, but as he had opened the final box to reveal absolutely nothing, he had frowned.</p><p> </p><p>Lara snorted, reaching over to tap her wand against the cardboard, whispering "finite."</p><p> </p><p>Percy picked up the piece of parchment on the top and opened it, reading out loud, words barely heard by those around him.</p><p> </p><p>He carefully folded the parchment again, careful not to crumple it as he tucked it into the front page of his book for safekeeping. The first thing in the box was a simple camera with some rolls of film tucked beside it. There was a thick photo album bound with a dark gold painted leather.</p><p> </p><p>"I've filled in a couple of those," Lara commented in an undertone. "Just the first few pages. There's a lot more space left for you."</p><p> </p><p>Percy smiled at her, ears turning slightly red as he placed them back in the box and picked up the next package. There was a piece of parchment taped to it. The words; Read When. He carefully lifted the lid and flipped slowly through the group of envelopes, eyes scanning the short sentences scratched on the front.</p><p> </p><p>He murmured his appreciation, face full of sincerity as he tucked everything back in place.</p><p> </p><p>"Hurry up, Lovebirds," Oliver teased. "I'm up next!"</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"I thought he'd help," Percy explained in an undertone as they tucked into their breakfasts. Lara still hadn't moved away from the part-kneazle, nor had she given him a name. "Kneazles are known for rooting out untrustworthy people, and they're pretty loyal, too. I thought he'd make you feel a bit more comfortable."</p><p> </p><p>Lara gave a nod, glancing at the cat curled up on the bench beside them, sneaking him a piece of sausage off her plate. "Thank you Perce, I really do love him."</p><p> </p><p>The boy let out a huge sigh of relief, feeling a weight drop from his shoulders.</p><p> </p><p>"What d'you think of Iggy?"</p><p> </p><p>"Iggy?"</p><p> </p><p>"Yeah," Lara said, not looking up from the red fur. "As in Percy Ignatius. Iggy."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>As they sat down in the common room that afternoon, Percy smiled at the girl on the sofa beside him and slowly lifted his camera. She didn't notice, absorbed as she was with playing with the red animal perched on her knees, as he snapped a picture.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"I'm gonna fail!" Percy let out an irritated huff as he set the book down on the table in the library. The other three seventh years exchanged a look while Penny checked for an approaching Madam Pince.</p><p> </p><p>"What is it?" Lara asked in a whisper, folding the corner of her page to keep track and hoping that the librarian wouldn't notice.</p><p> </p><p>The boy shook his head, hands pulling lightly at his hair, pulled from its usual neat style and sticking out in different directions. His glasses were crooked, the nose piece bent after falling asleep with them still on the night before (Lara's shoulder still held the light mark from the corner of them). The bags under his eyes were dark, a stark contrast to the paleness of the rest of his face. "I can't get it. Why did I choose Ancient Runes?"</p><p> </p><p>"Because you're a bloody overachiever." Oliver shook his head, tucking his parchment, quill and ink into his bag. "C'mon. Let's get out of here for a bit. Of course it isn't going in - you haven't left here since Christmas."</p><p> </p><p>"Exams are in less than four months," Percy hissed. "They-"</p><p> </p><p>"Won't matter if you work yourself into an early death studying for them." Penelope interrupted, voice soft but expression fierce enough to halt any arguments brewing. "Come on, we'll go and sit outside. Bring your books if you want, just...let's go somewhere else."</p><p> </p><p>"It's <em>raining</em>."</p><p> </p><p>Penny raised a light eyebrow, blue eyes shining. "Are you a wizard or what, Weasley?"</p><p> </p><p>Percy reluctantly agreed, checking out the three thick books and following them to the lake, where they set up a blanket to protect them from the damp grass. Despite the cold air and rain, the air was a lot fresher and sky a lot lighter than inside the dusty library.</p><p> </p><p>Lara raised her wand, lifting and moving it to create a dome around them, speaking clearly as she protected them and the books from the torrential rain.</p><p> </p><p>Penelope murmured under her breath, bringing up a warming charm around them and linking it to the size of the blanket - it had always been one of the spells she was best at. She had mentioned in fifth year how she would stay up to study at night in the common room, and how the large room was almost always freezing.</p><p> </p><p>"Right," Lara said as she leaned back against her elbows, legs outstretched. "Quiz. Topics?"</p><p> </p><p>"Transfiguration," Oliver said instantly. He and Lara had quickly found common ground in their mutual dislike for the subject.</p><p> </p><p>"Charms." It was one of Percy's favourite subjects, and he had earned the top spot back in first year. Professor Flitwick had mentioned taking him on as an Apprentice, but Percy had always had the ambition of joining the Ministry. Still, there was a standing invitation.</p><p> </p><p>Penny thought for a moment. "Potions."</p><p> </p><p>"Okay," Lara said. "I'll start with History of Magic."</p><p> </p><p>"Typical," Percy muttered under his breath and winced slightly as the girl nudged him in the ribs with her elbow.</p><p> </p><p>She shot him a glower. "For that, Percy. You're up first. In what year was the first post-rebellion Treaty between Wizards and Goblins first created?"</p><p> </p><p>He frowned. "Late 1530, broken in the 1600s by us?"</p><p> </p><p>She shook her head. "March 1531. Broken early 1600s. Close, though. Your turn."</p><p> </p><p>The boy looked around, smiling viciously. "Olly, who is credited with the creation of the Homorphus Charm?"</p><p> </p><p>Oliver chuckled. "Good try. It's unknown. Lockhart claimed it, but it's been traced back to the medieval era."</p><p> </p><p>Percy sighed and muttered something under his breath. From her position beside him, Lara snorted as she heard the words.</p><p> </p><p>"Pen, what is the final step to becoming an animagus?"</p><p> </p><p>The girl thought for a moment, watching with interest as Hagrid threw food to the Giant Squid. "That'd be the mandrake leaf. Holding it in your mouth for a month."</p><p> </p><p>Lara shook her head, jumping in quietly. "That's second to last. After that, you need to focus on transforming different parts of your body one at a time."</p><p> </p><p>Penny sighed, but nodded. "Okay, Lara. What are the ingredients in the Draught of Living Death?"</p><p> </p><p>Lara frowned slightly. "You have powdered root of asphodel...infusion of wormwood...valerian root and sopophorous bean?" She posed the last ingredient as a question.</p><p> </p><p>Penny nodded, smile on her face as Lara continued with the questioning.</p><p> </p><p>Naturally, it devolved from quizzing one another into joking and laughing about things unrelated. Penelope had started teaching Lara how to french braid hair as her own mother had taught her as a child, while Oliver was telling a less than absorbed Percy about the planned strategy for the next match against Ravenclaw, then devolving into Percy and Lara attempting to teach their giddy friends how to perform the Patronus charm.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>They returned to the Great Hall almost three hours later, stomachs rumbling, wishing that they'd thought to grab something from the tables at breakfast. They were right on time, the four long tables beginning to fill up quickly.</p><p> </p><p>Lara's dirty blonde hair was pulled into neat, tight plaits while Penelope's was slightly messy and haphazardly twisted. Both girls were smiling and laughing together while Percy and Oliver shot them mildly bemused frowns.</p><p> </p><p>Oliver found a spot for them, sitting down beside Penelope and grinning mischievously at her as Lara and Percy sat together opposite them. He shared a smile with the Ravenclaw, passing her the water pitcher when she asked for it.</p><p> </p><p>"Feeling any better?" Lara asked as she spooned some potatoes onto her plate, eyes darting to her best friend's plate, checking that he had enough. He never was too good at looking after himself around exam season, and she had long since taken up the Percy-feeder job.</p><p> </p><p>Percy rolled his eyes, noticing the motion, but gave an affirmative nod. "Yeah. You were right - needed to get out."</p><p> </p><p>Oliver grinned from where he and Penny were sitting across the table, pouring himself a glass of pumpkin juice. "Good. Can't lose our Head Boy, can we?"</p><p> </p><p>Percy smiled, ducking his head as his friends smiled at him.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The two seventh years sat cross-legged on Percy's bed, multiple books spread out between them, intermingled with torn and crumpled pieces of parchment and snapped quills. Percy held The Standard Book of Spells, Volume 7 in one hand, and his wand in the other as he flicked it lightly, lips pressed together as he forced himself not to speak the enchantment. Lara had given up on books altogether, and was instead unwrapping a new sugar quill while she listened to the record player set on the desk beside Percy.</p><p>John Lennon's crooning voice filled the room, broken only by the flipping of pages and scratching of a quill against rough parchment.</p><p>"What year was Grindelwald finally defeated?"</p><p>Percy smirked, eyes lifting from where they had been stuck in the book. "1945. He's currently imprisoned in Nurmengard Castle."</p><p>"Where did the goblin rebellion of 1612 take place?"</p><p>"Hogsmeade." He didn't look up.</p><p>"Ugh, I'm gonna catch you out sometime!"</p><p>They fell back into a calm silence for a few moments, each working on their own studying.</p><p> </p><p>"Valentine's Day next weekend," Lara murmured hopefully, breaking the quiet as she bit off the end of the sugar quill. She shot Iggy a scolding frown when he tried to jump for the sweet treat, a hand stroking the bright fur.</p><p>Percy gave a distracted hum as he turned the page of his book, pushing up his glasses as he did so.</p><p>"Any plans?"</p><p>The boy chuckled lightly, looking up at her with a raised eyebrow that made her flush. "Do I ever? You?"</p><p>"No..." Lara trailed off hopefully, but also resigned to the fact that he wouldn't pick up on it; she knew, had known, that Percy was never any good with the more subtle emotions, despite the fact that he had improved tenfold since they had become friends back in first year. Maybe it was better like that.</p><p>"Oh..." Percy paused, eyes finally meeting hers as he frowned in slight confusion. "Do...do you want to..."</p><p>"Yeah?"</p><p>Percy felt his heart beginning to take off. What if he had read it wrong? What if he'd just ruined everything? Well, he wasn't a Gryffindor for nothing. He gave her a slight shrug, attempting to hide how nervous the question truly made him, but knowing she would notice anyway. "D'you want to go to Hogsmeade with me?"</p><p>Lara smiled widely, her face lighting up. It seemed that he had been correct in what she had wanted. But did she just want company?</p><p>"I'd love to."</p><p>"Great. Now, do you know what I'm missing here?" He held out the book, gesturing to the spell he had been trying to work.</p><p>With that, they went back to studying, smiles slightly brighter.</p><p>
  <em>Bright are the stars that shine</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Dark is the sky</em>
  <br/>
  <em>I know this love of mine</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Will never die</em>
  <br/>
  <em>And I love her</em>
</p><p>-</p><p>Unfortunately, the plan didn't exactly start too well.</p><p>The walk to Hogsmeade was awkward, with neither of the two seventh years knowing what to say or do.</p><p>They had been best friends for a long time, and neither of them wanted to do anything to put that at risk.</p><p>Lara sighed slightly as they stopped by the small village. With a teasing roll of her eyes, she smiled at the boy beside her, leaning up to ruffle his hair, knowing how he hated when she did that. "C'mon Perce. Nothing has to change really, does it? What's so different to how we were last time we came here?"</p><p>"Well," Percy muttered without thinking. "<em>Last</em> time, we weren't on a date." He flushed at assuming without being given confirmation.</p><p>The girl shrugged, not seeming to register the word - or if she did, she didn't take much notice of it. "And? Why should we feel out of place? Maybe I just want to spend the day in Tomes and Scrolls. I'm not expecting to be dragged to Madam Pudifoot's, Perce."</p><p>Percy let out a huge sigh of relief, not at all exaggerated, making them both laugh as he gave a nod of his head and began to lead the way to the book shop, Lara taking the initiative to link their hands as they walked, enjoying the flush that could be visible just above the collar of the boy's shirt.</p><p>He watched the girl with a slight twist to his lips as she read the back of a secondhand muggle book, noticing the way her hair lay just below her shoulders, slightly wavy as was usual, damp from a run-in with Peeves on their way out of the castle. She mouthed the words to herself as she read, something he had always found to be an endearing quality. He looked back at the bookshelf when she turned to him to ask something, hoping that he wasn't as red as he felt.</p><p>"Think I'm gonna get this," she said lightly, reaching into her bag for her purse. "Seen anything you like?"</p><p>Percy shook his head after a short moment. "I don't think I'll be reading anything other than textbooks until after our NEWTs."</p><p>She laughed lightly in agreement, knowing that they would most definitely be spending the next day studying - Transfiguration was on the study timetable Percy had written up for them.</p><p>"D'you want to go into The Three Broomsticks?" Percy asked as they left the shop, new book tucked safely into Lara's bag.</p><p>The girl smiled up at him. "How about we take a short detour to Oldpass Lane?"</p><p>"Even better! Olly'll owe us if we manage to get some butterbeer back to the dorm." Lara laughed at the comment, remembering how only a couple of years ago he had blown up at her, Penny and Oliver for daring to stay out after curfew, nevermind apparate to a town they hadn't got permission to go to, and <em>then</em> smuggle contraband back into the castle.</p><p>Oldpass Lane was a peaceful wizarding village in the Scottish Highlands overlooking a small loch. It wasn't particularly well known, and the group had only found out about it after a comment made by Penny's sister in the summer before their third year and her seventh. Naturally, on their third Hogsmeade weekend (after having had the whole experience) they had taken the Knight Bus there for the day. And <em>naturally,</em> they had been dragged back by their ears by one Professor McGonagall only an hour later, who had seen them walking around the shops. Their hands had ached for days after the month of detentions they had been forced to spend cleaning Professor Snape's cauldrons.</p><p>The first place they visited as they appeared by the lock was The Muddy Cloak, a small bar and restaurant in the centre of the village. Unlike to The Three Broomsticks back in Hogsmeade, it was a quiet establishment, not <em>quite </em>as dark and dingy as The Hog's Head and yet not as middle-class as Rosmerta's pub, one that wasn't quite as expensive - likely due to the lack of out-of-town visitors.</p><p>Lara was qick to buy a couple of bottles of butterbeer to bring back to Hogwarts, tucking them into the bottom of her bag and covering them with the many other contents of the bag. Unfortunately, Percy had sent her his usual scathing <em>look</em> when she had attempted to buy some firewhiskey, and she had decided not to invoke his wrath just yet.</p><p>"Right Perce," Lara gave him a smile over the menu she held in her hands. "What d'you fancy? I mean, last time I had the chicken and it was good, but the beef wellington's new..."</p><p>"I think I'll have the fish n' chips like usual," Percy decided, tucking the menu back into the wooden stand, pushing it to make sure it was exactly in the middle. "But the chicken <em>was</em> nice last time we came."</p><p>"I'll get that, then. You know full well that I'll be stealing some of the fish!"</p><p>The Head Boy laughed lightly as he took a sip of his pumpkin juice, rolling his eyes slightly. He didn't mind too much; that was what happened every time, and they would usually end up halving and swapping their meals once they arrived.<br/><br/><br/></p><p>The sky was starting to darken by the time they arrived back at Hogsmeade, students beginning to filter back up the path to Hogwarts. Percy looked at the girl beside him, noticing that despite the fact that she was wrapped up in a comfortable knitted scarf and a too-large hat that he was almost <em>positive </em>belonged to him, her cheeks and nose were red from the cold.</p><p>"Thank Merlin," Percy said with a sigh of relief as they headed back, fingers entertwined with the girl beside him. "McGonagall would go <em>mental </em>if we were late!"</p><p>Lara shivered at the memory of the woman storming towards them four years ago, Percy doing the same.</p><p>It was easier than expected to get the bag full of butterbeer and sweets past Filch, a temporarily transfigured false-bottom on the bag hiding the smuggled items keeping them from the squib's sight.</p><p>"Thank you for today," Lara said gently as they stood in the corridor by the staircases. "I had a really great time."</p><p>Percy smiled widely. "Me too! D'you maybe want to, uh, do it again?"</p><p>She nodded her head immediately, feeling her cheeks beginning to heat up. "Definitely! I need to go meet Penny now, though. She wanted me to catch her before curfew."</p><p>"Perfect!"</p><p>Lara squoze his hand for a moment, moving forward and leaning up to kiss him, their lips moving together gently before she stepped back and gave him a smile. "I'll see you later."</p><p>He gave an absent nod, watching as she turned and disappeared around the corner, staring after her with wide eyes and flushed cheeks even after she'd disappeared.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lara hurried up the staircase on her way to Ravenclaw tower, her cheeks flushed and heart racing, threatening to burst out of her chest.</p><p>"Lara?"</p><p>She skidded to a stop, shoes squeaking against the ground, turning and shooting her friend a surprised smile. "Pen! I was on my way to meet you."</p><p>The blonde shrugged. "Thought I'd meet you. Tina's just broken up with her boyfriend. Again. Messy." The two shared a grimace as they turned to walk around a corner.</p><p>"So go on," Penny urged, eyes bright, apparently unable to hold herself together. "Tell me all about it!"</p><p>Lara flushed slightly but grinned qidely. "It was brilliant! We went to the bookshop first, then apparated over to Oldpass Lane and had dinner. Then we just walked around and talked, you know? It was fun."</p><p>The older of the two smiled fondly. "And? Details! Did he kiss you? Did you kiss him? Did you hold hands?"</p><p>She raised an eyebrow. "Percy and I <em>always</em> hold hands, Pen. It's like, our thing."</p><p>"You didn't answer the question."</p><p>Lara rolled her eyes and looked away, feeling her face beginning to heat up. Was the castle usually this warm? It was only February; <em>surely </em>it should be much colder than it felt - it was snowing outside for Merlin's sake!</p><p>"I'll take that as my answer. Who kissed who?"</p><p>"Me."</p><p>"And? You're not making this easy, Grey! What did he do?"</p><p>Lara huffed lightly, shaking her head lightly as she leaned against the wall, disappointed. "I dunno. I ran away."</p><p>Penelope sighed, running an irritated hand over her face, smudging her eyeliner slightly. Those two, she decided, would be the death of her. "Merlin give me strength...well, you don't need to worry about that, at least. Everyone knows the guy's mad about you."</p><p>"What?" Lara frowned at her, confused, drawing a sardonic laugh from the taller girl.</p><p>"You're joking! You didn't know?" Penny rolled her eyes as Lara shook her head. "Lara, Perce had the <em>biggest</em> crush on you in fourth year, and it's only got bigger since then! You really didn't know?" Her voice went soft with the last question.</p><p>"Really?"</p><p>"Duh," Penny huffed, raising her eyebrows. "I thought you knew. That's why he was so hurt when you kept going back to that utter <em>arse</em>, Jackson."</p><p>Lara let out a groan. "You're taking the piss. Really?"</p><p>"How long's it been for you?" She asked quietly, suddenly gentle.</p><p>"Fifth year."<br/><br/><br/></p><p>They were silent for a moment until Penelope broke it, letting out a snort that dissolved into slightly maniacal laughter, bordering on hysterical. "Oh, bloody hell. How typical. You're both as receptive as a pair of stone walls! <em>Merlin!</em>"</p><p>"What?! Why aren't you mad? He's - you two -"</p><p>Penny shook her head, rolling her eyes dramatically. "No, Lar, that was once. One date. We're friends, it wasn't right." She shuddered mockingly. "He's like my brother!"</p><p>Lara huffed, frustrated, pushing her hair out of her face as she slid down the wall and sat on the cold ground with her head in her hands. Penny joined her quickly, barely hiding her amusement in the face of her close friend's struggle.<br/><br/><br/></p><p>When Lara arrived back in the dormitory just before curfew, she had to take a moment and a deep breath before entering the room. Oliver was still downstairs in the common room going over different strategies for the Chasers to use in the next day.</p><p>She had rushed past him, hearing the slightly raised voice and maniacal light in his eyes, and hoped that he wouldn't notice and call out to her. She had been fortunate.</p><p> </p><p>Percy was sitting on the edge of his bed, hand running lightly through Iggy's fur as he absentmindedly turned the pages of that morning's Daily Prophet. He looked up when she entered, a smile on his face. "Lara..."</p><p>She smiled back at him, not moving. "Hey Perce."</p><p>He shook his head, rising to her feet and moving towards her. "I think you should know, Iggy's a nuisance!"</p><p>"What?" Lara frowned, stunned by the unexpected comment. That was the last thing she had expected when she entered; it hadn't even made the top ten.</p><p>Percy held up his scarf, both pieces of it, and gave the cat a less than amused stare.</p><p>Lara laughed lightly. "I'll get you a new one. Promise."</p><p>The boy shook his head, waving his hand dismissively, tossing both halves of it into his trunk with a quiet chuckle. Jumping onto what had obviously made her nervous in an uncharacteristic comment for the boy, he looked up. "You don't need to feel uncomfortable, you know. I don't-"</p><p>"No, I'm sorry Perce, I shouldn't have run away."</p><p>"Why did you?" Percy asked, voice low. "I thought we had a nice time."</p><p>Lara nodded. "Exactly! We did! I thought I'd ruined it!"</p><p>"Really?" Percy asked, bemused. "uh, Why would you have ruined it?"</p><p>"Because I kissed you!"</p><p>"Yeah...you did. Why would that have ruined the day? I don't understand."</p><p>Lara gave a deep sigh, sitting on the edge of the bed and looking down at her fingers as she fidgeted. "Because I kissed you. What if- what if I'd read into it too much? What if you don't like me?"</p><p>She ran her hands through Iggy's fur, focusing on the deep purrs he released, waiting to be kicked out.</p><p>Percy laughed in shock. "Me? Not like you? Really, Lara, <em>nothing </em>you can do would change how I feel about you."</p><p>Her eyes widened and she looked up, surprised. "What?"</p><p>"I mean," Percy said. "That I've been waiting to do exactly that for ages."</p><p>"Really?" Lara asked, voice quiet but filled with hope.</p><p>Percy smiled faintly, nodding his head as he sat beside her, giving Iggy a light scratch behind the ears as he did so. "Yeah, really. I've fancied you since, I don't know, fifth year. I just...I couldn't have just <em>jumped </em>at you, you know? It had to be your decision. I didn't want you to think I was like Jackson."</p><p>The girl let out a frustrated half-laugh, drawing his attention. "Merlin, that's what Penny said...why didn't you<em> say</em> anything? And I would've <em>never</em> though that about you!"</p><p>Percy's voice was soft as he spoke after a moment of thinking through the answer, trying to explain it in a way that would seem logical. "When I first realised...do you remember just after we came back in fifth year, when there was that incident with Avery? He went to hex me after I took points from him for being out after curfew."</p><p>"I shot first," Lara murmured.</p><p>"Exactly," Percy said. "Uh, that was the first time I realised completely...you were the first person to stick by me, and the first one to stay. I mean, you know me - I'm no good at Herbology no matter how hard I try, I'm too bossy, stick by the rules too much, I'm no good with emotions. I'm not-"</p><p>He sighed. "I'm not explaining this very well, am I? Typical. I didn't say anything because I didn't want to hurt you or lose everything. I didn't want you to think that I was taking advantage or feeling sorry for you. I didn't want to ruin everything."</p><p>Lara shook her head. "I know you're not perfect Perce, I really do. The thing is, you have so many more good qualities. Yeah, you're bossy and a bit pompous." She nudged him lightly, earning a half-smile. "But that's you, that's who you are. You're not a huge fan of breaking rules? Yeah, I know that, but in fourth year when I was having a bad day, you stayed out after curfew with me until I felt like I could come back. You say you're bad with emotions, but you're the only one who can help me after my nightmares. You're the one that the younger years come to when they miss home or need help."</p><p>She grasped his hand, linking their fingers. "Every bad thing you can think about yourself, I can think of ten more positive things. As for the last thing, you wouldn't have ruined anything." She leaned over to the side, pressing a light kiss to the corner of his mouth, smiling as he looked at her.</p><p> </p>
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<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lara, Percy, Oliver and Penny sat comfortably on the grass by the Black Lake, eyes following a group of third year Hufflepuffs as they shot around on the school brooms, tossing a quaffle between them under the watchful eye of Professor Hooch.</p><p>"Remember that?" Penny asked, her voice light as she sketched lightly in the journal that was almost always in her possession. Lara could see the rough outline of one of Hagrid's Hippogriffs stretched gracefully across the page. "Third year?"</p><p>Oliver chuckled lightly, eyes closed as he soaked up as much sun as possible. "That year was great, Professor Carter was the best Defence Professor we had. Other than Lupin."</p><p>"Yeah, that was the year Percy almost got us all expelled, too," Lara reminisced, sending her boyfriend a teasing smirk. He rolled his eyes, nudging her lightly.</p><p>Surprisingly, going from best friends to being in a relationship wasn't a completely huge change.</p><p>It wasn't until they had decided to give it a try that they realised that most of the things they did were already what someone would do with their boyfriend or girlfriend...except the snogging.</p><p>"I'm pretty sure that was <em>your </em>idea, Lara. I just took the fall." He grinned at the memory, remembering the way he had felt his soul leave him as McGonagall discussed expulsion for leaving the grounds and travelling to a completely different village on a Hogsmeade weekend. They still didn't know<em> how </em>she had known they were there - and if she hadn't, why <em>exactly </em>was she there? They weren't going to risk their lives with the question.</p><p>"It was. Still, bloody good time," Penny said, casting a quick warming charm as the sky darkened for a moment, clouds covering the sun as they passed, casting the group into shadow. She ran a hand through Iggy's fur as he lay sleeping in the sun, light snoring purrs filling the quiet.</p><p>The group lay still and silent for a while, exhausted from a night full of celebrating Gryffindor's winning the Quidditch Cup the previous day. Oliver in particular had indulged in the drinking, citing that he deserved it, leading the group of miscreants. He hadn't been able to hide his glee, though, bright eyes and huge smile curbing any noise complaints before they came.</p><p>Lara moved to the side, laying her head on Percy's chest and smiling at him when he was forced to lift the book he had been reading for the third time in the past few weeks. He didn't complain, hiding his fond smile between yellowing pages of a well-thumbed textbook.</p><p>"D'you think we'll still...you know, be friends after this year ends?" Oliver asked quietly, obviously something he was worrying about. It was early April, and there was only a couple more months to go. He knew that, considering NEWTs were coming up soon (and considering the amount Percy had somehow managed to keep up with), they wouldn't have a lot of thime together spent doing anything but studying.</p><p>"Well duh." Lara smiled as she spoke. "I probably wouldn't cope without you all, and I know full well that Perce'd forget to <em>eat </em>if there wasn't at least one of us to remind him. You'll get sick of us, we'll be around that much. You won't have time <em>to </em>miss us."</p><p>The warming spell was cancelled once more as heat began to beat down on them once more, Lara squinting in the brightness. Percy smiled as the sun shone through her dirty-blonde hair, lighting it up beautifully.</p><p>Lost for words and wanting to get away from the suddenly too-mushy conversation, she fell back on the usual distraction technique.</p><p>"C'mon, cheer up Ol. Shag, marry, kill...Professor Lupin, Professor Snape and...oh, Professor Lockhart, the fraud."</p><p>Oliver cursed under his breath, shooting her a glare. "Gonna kill Snape. The alternatives make me feel sick...uh, so we have Lupin. With the werewolf strength, I bet he's good in the sack-"</p><p>Lara and Penny let out light laughs, worried about looking the Professor in the face in their next lesson. The group had recognised the signs of Lycanthropy on their Professor after Snape's cover lesson.</p><p>"But Lockhart's pretty...I think I'd shag Lockhart, and marry Lupin. At least I can have an intelligent conversation with him."</p><p>Lara grimaced as Oliver looked over at her. "Oh, get it over with."</p><p>"Sure!" He put on an enthusiastic grin, eyes filled with devilish glee. "<em>Me</em>, Pen and Perce."</p><p>"Fuck."</p><p>Percy laughed as he heard her curse under her breath and leaned over to where their bags had been tossed to the side. From his own, he pulled a bottle of butterbeer that he and Lara had managed to smuggle in the weekend before, and tucked away his Charms book to protect it from the damp grass.</p><p>His girlfriend was the first to take a long sip, passing it beck to him as she spoke. "For that, I'll kill <em>you</em>, Ol. I'd marry Percy - he's the least sufferable of you lot." She smiled slightly at him with warm eyes, sending the rapidly flushing Penny a mocking wink. "I'd shag Pen. Have you seen her?"</p><p>She thought for a minute. "Pen, truth or dare?"</p><p>"Truth." The girl was still red in the face as she answered, closing the leather bound book, trapping the artist quill between its pages.</p><p>Percy leaned over, murmuring in her ear and receiving a vicious smile in return. "What's something you've kept secret from us?"</p><p>They knew that they were in for a good one when the Ravenclaw's cheeks turned a brighter red than they had seen in a long time.</p><p>"Penny! Penny!" Oliver began the chant in a low voice, clapping his hands with each syllable as he did so, and grinned as Lara and Percy joined in without hesitation.</p><p>"Penny!"</p><p>"Penny!"</p><p>The girl huffed out a defeated scowl, glaring at all of them before mumbling her answer, barely heard. "I've always wanted to learn to fly. But I'm scared of heights."</p><p>"Oh," Lara teased, smile on her lips. "I would've thought it'd be the crush you had on Professor Fitzgerald in second year."</p><p>"What? The guy was <em>old</em>!" Percy exclaimed.</p><p>Oliver grinned, beginning to rise to his feet. "Come on, we'll teach you!"</p><p>Percy and Lara exchanged an eye roll as they grabbed their bags and headed for the broom shed, anticipating disaster.</p><p>"This is <em>so </em>not gonna go well," Lara murmured as they unlocked the door. Oliver had been banned from keeping the broom in their dormitory after one time too many of him sneaking out to fly late at night, using the open windows of the Astronomy tower to avoid tripping the wards on the doors.</p><p>Typically, she was correct, and she didn't hesitate to turn to Percy as they headed to the Hospital Wing, Oliver holding a likely broken arm close to his chest. "I told you so."</p><p>Percy snorted, shaking his head and declining to respond to the statement.</p><p>"How are you so <em>bad</em>, Pen?" The Quidditch Keeper asked, amazement in his voice as they entered the white room, grimacing at the sterile scent.</p><p>The girl apologised miserably, disappointment in her every feature . Lara placed a hand on her arm, shooting her a warm smile as she reminded her of the <em>incident </em>in Oliver's first ever Quidditch match.</p><p>They were kicked out pretty quickly after that.</p><p> </p>
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<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There were still dried tears on Lara's cheeks after a night full of nightmares, Percy noticed as he put on his glasses, sliding out from under her. He sighed lightly, too quiet to wake the sleeping girl as he pressed a soft kiss on her forehead.</p><p>When Lara woke an hour or so later, he was sitting on the bed beside her, nose stuck in a book about prominent Hogwarts Graduates. He smiled at her. "D'you still fancy an Oldpass day with Pen and Olly after we finish with work?"</p><p>She gave a small nod, lifting a hand to cover a yawn, and glanced at the bed beside theirs, laughing lightly at the sight of their friend hanging halfway off the bed, mouth wide open mid snore. "Sounds good. Can we go to Maestro's first? I want to spend Olly's gift card."</p><p>Percy grinned, nodding as she rose to her feet. "As long as we can nip into Madam Puddifoot's for a drink."</p><p>He laughed at the expression of pure bewilderment that overtook her face as she headed for the bathroom, a bundle of clothes in her hands. She tapped the plaque on the door - a new addition to the room - and it turned red as she closed the door behind her, showing everyone that it was occupied.</p><p>Lara sat comfortably by a shelf in Maestro's, hands expertly flicking through vinyl covers as she moved them into order of the year they were released, tucking them back into their rightful places. She had been working weekends and holidays at Maestro's since the start of their fourth year, realising that money would be needed for gifts for their friends. It had quickly added up after that, their earnings being stashed in the bottoms of their trunks under an illusion charm - not because they expected to have it stolen, but because it was something that was purely their own.</p><p>She smiled at the owner as he passed, shooting his a nod of greeting as she slid the final record into its rightful place and moving onto the next aisle. "Morning, Boss."</p><p>The man rolled his eyes. "Come on, Lara. You know it's Nic."</p><p>"Yeah, I know." The girl laughed under her breath. "I know it annoys you."</p><p>The man chuckled as he passed, heading for the young woman standing at the counter.</p><p> </p><p>"Right," Penny began. "Did you want to go straight to Oldpass?"</p><p>Lara gave a nod as she tucked the thick bundle of secondhand vinyls into her bag. "Yeah. I mean, we only have until seven, then we have to be back for patrols."</p><p>Percy glanced at the watch on his wrist - it was only half past two, so they had a while to get away from the castle. Naturally, with the four of them leaving at the same time, they had to walk further away from the village and leave separately in the hopes that they wouldn't be caught.</p><p>Lara and Percy left first, being joined only moments later by their friends, who looked around cautiously before beginning to approach the town.</p><p>"You know," Oliver began, his voice light. "I wouldn't expect this of you, Percy. I mean, Sirius Black still hasn't been caught."</p><p>The boy rolled his eyes, pushing his friend lightly as they approached the small loch below them. None of them particularly wanted to spend any of the money they were saving, and so had prepared a small basket with food and drinks to bring with them.</p><p>"Oi, Perce, Lara," Penny began, slumping lazily onto the soft grass, face upturned to catch the sun's warmth. "Did you remember to bring the record player?"</p><p>Percy grinned and nodded as Lara opened her bag, rooting through it with two hands and finally emerging with the object. "What d'you want to listen to?"</p><p>Penny pulled out the first vinyl she saw, placing it on the wheel and moving the pin to the edge of the disk, watching curiously as it began to spin automatically, soft music filling the air around them.</p><p>Oliver pulled the miniature quaffle from his pocket - a Christmas present from Penny - and tossed it absentmindedly between hands as he closed his eyes against the sun's rays.</p><p> </p><p>They only had a week until their NEWTs began, and in the past two weeks there had been more small and petty arguments than there had been in the other six years of Hogwarts put together. Percy and Penny had barely left the library, Lara had barely left their dormitory, a large ring of books surrounding her usual spot on the carpet, and Oliver was spending more time than ever jumping between different study groups. It had been unanimously decided the night before that a day away from the hustle-bustle of Hogwarts would be a much needed escape.</p><p> </p><p>Of course, that meant that Penny had been sent to the kitchens to 'steal' enough snacks for the four of them plus more, Oliver had rooted out every bottle of butterbeer from his trunk, and Lara and Percy had finally - after an hour and a half of trying - managed to stuff the record player safely into Lara's bag, ensuring that it most definitely would not be damaged during transport.</p><p>"Could you pass the strawberries?" Lara asked Penny, who was lay beside the basket, and smiled when she was passed the carton of her favourite fruit.</p><p>Oliver grimaced. "I don't know how you can eat them, Lara, they're <em>disgusting</em>!"</p><p>Percy shook his head. "Olly, you have <em>no </em>room to speak with some of the things you eat."</p><p>"Like what?" The Keeper seemed to be utterly confused, eyebrows furrowing as he tried to think of anything particularly exotic he had eaten in front of his friends. He was drawing a blank.</p><p>"You had potatoes and ketchup for dinner yesterday," Lara said with a teasing smirk, offering Penny a strawberry. "Come to think of it, anything you have with ketchup is <em>awful</em>. You had it with eggs the other day!"</p><p>Her boyfriend nodded his agreement, turning over the vinyl manually when the needle reached the end. "Sorry, Olly, it's not right. At all."</p><p>The boy took a swig of butterbeer, rolling his eyes at them as he tossed a stone into the loch, watching as it bounced twice before sinking.</p><p>"Gotta admit," Lara said as she picked up a stone and threw it, only for it to fail instantly. "I'm a little jealous of that."</p><p>"It's in the flick," Oliver explained, demonstrating it patiently and hiding his laughter when the girl just <em>couldn't</em>get it.</p><p>She eventually gave up, falling to the ground and laying back to look up at the sky, enjoying the feeling of the sun on her cheeks, hoping that everything wouldn't fall apart after they left.</p><p> </p>
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<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Where'd Olly go?" Percy asked as they lay in bed, talking quietly. The dormitory was unusually quiet with only the two of them - something unusual for the late hour. Iggy was fast asleep - as usual - stretched out on Oliver's bed, having been unceremoniously kicked off Percy's pillow.</p><p>Oliver had disappeared some time after dinner and hadn't returned. Penny and Lara had exchanged a roll of their eyes as he left the Great Hall, a cheerful spring in his step.</p><p>Lara rolled her eyes with a teasing grin. "He's gone out with Martha Walker from Ravenclaw. You'll probably find them in an empty classroom somewhere. You <em>really </em>didn't notice? That's why Pen's annoyed with him."</p><p>The red head shrugged slightly. "No. Was too busy studying. Need to get this essay for Defence finished. Why's Pen annoyed?"</p><p>"It isn't due for another week!" While yes, Lara was similar to Percy in the aspect that they both loved learning new things, she wasn't going to start something with so long left to go. Not if it wasn't for History of Magic. "As for Penny...you didn't notice?"</p><p>"Notice what?"</p><p>Lara let out a disbelieving laugh, shaking her head slightly at his naivety. She was starting to understand the validity of Penelope's stone wall statement a month before. "Never mind. You'll figure it out sometime."</p><p>Percy shook his head at her, letting out a light huff as he flipped to the next page of the thick book on his lap. They only had a few weeks left until exams, and he knew that he couldn't fail anything.</p><p>"Got any plans for after?" Lara asked gently after a few minutes of comfortable silence, leaning back against the headboard as she spoke. "I mean, after we leave...it's gonna be..." She trailed off with a shake of her head.</p><p>Percy shrugged slightly. "It's gonna be different, I know...I don't know. I was thinking of taking a leaf out of Charlie's book."</p><p>Lara gasped exaggeratedly, eyes taking on a comically wide appearance as she raised a hand to cover her mouth. "Percy! Your mum's gonna kill you!"</p><p>She shuddered at the thought of Mrs Weasley's reaction at yet another letter explaining that her son had moved out while she was away.</p><p>The red head chuckled lightly. "Nah, I'd tell her first. Probably get a house or apartment before that, though."</p><p>The two laughed together.</p><p>"What about you?"</p><p>Lara smiled at him. "No idea. I think I might do a <em>real </em>Charlie, though. If I stay at home, they'll have me packed up and on the way to University before I can say anything."</p><p>"Move to another country, too?"</p><p>"Maybe." Lara's eyes were bright, filled with humour and mischief.</p><p>Percy frowned. "I think we've been going about this the wrong way."</p><p>"What D'you mean?" The girl moved to sit comfortably, looking at him.</p><p>Percy thought his next words over. Yes, they'd only been together, for real, for, what, a month. But what does that matter? They'd been practically living together for nine months out of the year for seven years. They'd been sleeping in the same bed for three of them years. What was the difference, really?</p><p>The Head Boy shook his head. "Why don't...why don't we just pool our money together? I mean, if you want to."</p><p>Lara thought about it, making a mental list of pros and cons. "It...it <em>does</em> make sense."</p><p>"Really?" Percy was surprised; yes, he was the more cautious of the two of them by far, so he was likely to think quite logically, but...shouldn't Lara be the one raising objections? "But - it's only been a month!"</p><p>The girl rolled her eyes and gave a thoughtful shrug. "But does that <em>really </em>matter? I mean, why should we wait just because most people do?"</p><p>It did make sense, Percy thought, and why was <em>he </em>protesting? It was <em>his </em>idea in the first place. "You think so?"</p><p>Lara grinned mischievously. "Yeah, I do. I think by now I know most of your worst habits."</p><p>Percy raised an eyebrow, smiling at her despite himself as he gave her a slow nod as if telling her 'go on, Lara, dig your grave even deeper'.</p><p>She nodded, pretending not to notice the faux dangerous expression on his face. "Yeah. You nag when the room's too messy - not that it's a bad thing - and then pretend it wasn't <em>you </em>who made the mess in the first place. You don't flip the toilet lid back down. You stay up way too late to read, and wake up way too early to finish whatever book you were too tired to carry on with the night before..."</p><p>The boy huffed lightly. "And you don't have any bad habits?" He teased back, eyes brightening. "You leave your clothes <em>everywhere, </em>you steal the blankets, Iggy steals my pillows. You <em>snore</em>."</p><p>"To be fair, Iggy's a kneazle, I don't control him." Lara shrugged, unfazed about the rest of his statement as she moved to look at the page he had been stuck on for the past half an hour.</p><p>"Merlin help me...so, what're you thinking?"</p><p>Lara smiled slightly. "Let's do it. I think I'd say that we're pretty codependent by now, Perce. How would I cope without you?"</p><p>Percy smiled back at her, giving a nod of agreement. He thought about it; about returning home from the Ministry each night at the same time as Lara, having somewhere that belonged only to them. He liked the idea of that, he really did.</p><p>"Yeah, I know," he murmured, turning and pressing a light kiss to her lips, surprised when she pushed the book from his lap - and grimacing when it landed on the carpeted floor with a dull thud. His eyes widened when she pulled him closer, overbalancing and falling to the side.</p><p>He instantly forgot about the likely damaged pages of the old book when his hands found their rightful place, one on her cheek, dark blonde tresses tangled under his fingertips, his other hand resting lightly just above her waist, her fingers tangling in his hair. While he had learned previously to be careful where his hands ended up without prior warning; the way she was pressed against him, the taste of strawberry lipgloss on his tongue, showed that he wasn't doing anything wrong. Not at all.</p><p>"Perce," Lara whispered, voice almost indecipherable as they separated, a slight smile on her lips, a bright light in her eyes.</p><p>Percy chuckled lightly, tops of his ears pink, just as breathless as she was, wordlessly flicking his wand and grinning as the curtains around his bed swept closed as they met in the middle once more.</p><p> </p>
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<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 16</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Merlin," Percy muttered as they left the musty exam hall, taking a breath of fresh summer air. His second to last exam had finally ended, and there was only the Astronomy practical that evening to look forward to. "That one was <em>murder</em>."</p><p>Oliver mumbled his agreement as they walked down the corridor, dodging fellow seventh years who were complaining loudly about the exam. He noticed Jack and a Ravenclaw boy talking a few steps in front of them, arms waving around wildly as he spoke.</p><p>"What did you get for the question about the exceptions of Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration?"</p><p>Lara let out an agitated huff at Percy's question. "I could only remember three! Food, money, and life."</p><p>Penny nodded. "Same here. Did anyone manage to write out the steps to becoming an Animagus? I'm so glad we studied that one last week!"</p><p>"Yes, I think I got them all for that question," Percy said, face brightening slightly. "I managed to remember the date of the registration law being invoked and added that."</p><p>"Merlin, Perce," Lara said with a teasing grin, nudging him lightly and giggling lightly at the mockingly affected expression he put on. "Wish I'd thought of that one!"</p><p>After three and a half weeks of non stop exams, the four seventeen year olds were more than looking forward to being able to rest after their Astronomy exam. While Lara, Oliver and Penny had been able to take breaks and days off between exams, Percy - who was taking everything he could - hadn't had a real break since the start of the exams. The usual bags under his eyes had doubled in size and his face seemed paler than usual, freckles standing out against his hollowed cheeks. Lara was positive he hadn't slept properly in weeks - even before NEWTs had begun - she had felt the light tapping of gentle, thoughtful fingers against her bare skin late at night while he thought she was asleep. He was too stubborn and ambitious to drop any of the subjects he was taking, seeing his inability to do more than should be possible as a personal failure.</p><p>While some of the exams - Divination and Herbology - were less than satisfactory, most of them went well, and he (along with Lara, Penelope and Oliver in turn) had managed to achieve extra marks after demonstrating his ability to produce a corporeal patronus. He had smiled proudly when Professor Lupin had congratulated them on their ability and obvious determination to learn such a difficult spell.<br/><br/><br/></p><p>"You're both bloody lucky you didn't take Divination." Oliver had proclaimed as he and Percy had met them in the library the day before, drawing the two girls' attention from the book they had been reading between them and quizzing one another on.</p><p>Penny had decided to drop out of the class at the start of their fourth year, joining Lara in Ancient Runes. Percy had decided to continue with Divination after a long summer of thinking about it, but had spoken with Professor McGonagall and been allowed to self-study the subject, giving him more time to focus on his other classes. Oliver had decided to continue with the classes, enjoying the break from his other classes - he planned on working in Quidditch, and didn't plan on doing anything else, even back in fourth year.</p><p>"That bad?"</p><p>Percy had given a slow nod, slightly dazed. "Hell. Absolute <em>hell</em>."</p><p>Oliver had laughed at him, careful to stay quiet under Madam Pince's watchful glare. "I can't disagree. They had us reading tea leaves. Perce saw the grim in his invigilator's mug. I've never wanted to laugh so much!"</p><p>Penny had let out a snicker, her face lighting up as she closed the transfiguration book with a quiet snap. "Really?"</p><p>Percy had groaned as if in pain, nodding his head. "I couldn't even <em>pretend </em>it was something else."<br/><br/><br/></p><p>Lara grinned at the red head, casually linking their hands together as she did so. "Did this one at least go better than Divination, Perce?"</p><p>Percy shot her a mocking glower, holding the door open for them as they slumped down at the end of the table in the Great Hall. He shovelled some chicken and vegetables onto his plate, waiting for a moment before beginning to eat.</p><p>Oliver shook his head in mock disappointment as he stared up at the staff table with baleful eyes. "Look at her up there, guys. Eating her dinner as if her bloody exam hasn't just <em>ruined </em>our lives."</p><p>Penny laughed brightly, shaking her head and elbowing him lightly. "You know as well as we do that the Ministry sends out the papers. And face it, if it wasn't for Professor McGonagall, you'd have <em>no idea </em>about most of them questions. I mean, why should we be expected to know about Henrick Neston turning himself into a goose instead of...whatever he was trying. Wasn't he duelling someone? I mean, why should we need to know it? What <em>use </em>will it be?"</p><p>"Well, I think you'll remember to point your wand the right way," Lara said with a smile, feeling more carefree than she had in weeks. "What was the spell for that, anyway?"</p><p>"Pullus," Percy said absentmindedly as he chewed on a piece of carrot under Oliver's watchful gaze, holding a hand in front of his mouth as he spoke, and rolling his eyes at the older boy's silent nagging.</p><p>Lara nodded, retaining the information and sighing with relief as she spoke, realisation finally hitting her. "Only one more to go."</p><p>"Thank Merlin for that," Oliver muttered. "If I never have to look at an exam paper, it'll be too soon."</p><p>Penelope agreed, smiling into her glass of pumpkin juice as she thought about the multitude of essays and short answers she had written in the past couple weeks. "At least once it's all over tomorrow, there's not a lot to be done. We'll be able to just relax."</p><p>There was a sudden loud crack further down the table as a group of fifth years - Percy's younger brothers at the centre as per usual - burst into delighted laughter. Percy and Penny rolled their eyes while Lara and Oliver chuckled lightly, looking over curiously.</p><p>"Fancy a day by the Black Lake tomorrow? Celebrate the end of NEWTs?" Penny suggested lightly as she set her cutlery down on her mostly empty plate, already pulling her Astronomy book, sticking her nose into a page on the names of different constellations.</p><p>The others agreed quietly, falling into a comfortable silence as they finished their meals slowly, relief at the eventual end of a stressful few weeks completely palpable.</p><p> </p>
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<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 17</h2></a>
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    <p>They sat lazily by the Black Lake, eyes closed as they listened to the sounds of students relaxing around them. Tina - Penelope's dormmate - and her on and off boyfriend sat further down, ankles dipped in the lake, lips locked together.</p><p> </p><p>"I wish it could stay like this together," Percy murmured as he took a sip of butterbeer, eyes locked on one of Hagrid's exotic birds flying above them. The scent of freshly cut grass assaulted his nose, a smell that he couldn't help but associate with the coming of summer.</p><p>Oliver and Penny nodded their agreements, murmuring back to him, the precise words lost to Lara as she stared, bewildered, at the neatly pressed notebook paper in her hands, torn envelope laying discarded beside her.</p><p> </p><p>"Lara?" Oliver sounded concerned - his usual state when dealing with Lara and Percy and their usual antics. "You okay?"</p><p> </p><p>"She got a letter from her parents," Percy said quietly. "They've enrolled her into some sort of muggle University. Letter says as soon as she gets home, her Dad's driving her to sign up."</p><p> </p><p>"That's not all of it," Lara hissed, eyes narrowing as she re-read the words on the page, fingers digging into the paper and leaving slight tears in the sides.</p><p> </p><p>Percy sighed. "They said she needs to join the real world. Apparently, they've dealt with all the 'magic rubbish' but now it's time to grow up."</p><p> </p><p>Oliver let out a quiet curse while Penelope's eyebrows furrowed and her lips curled with anger. "Dealt with? What's that supposed to mean? Magic's part of who we are! My Mum and Dad are muggles and <em>they </em>get it! Anyway, you can't call it dealing with - they don't spend any time with her, anyway! She -"</p><p> </p><p>"Can still hear you," Lara cut in, eyes soft and a less than genuine smile on her lips. "Typical, huh? I was having a good day, you know? Exams are over, I can finally relax...then this? Absolute <em>bullshit</em>!"</p><p> </p><p>It was testiment to Percy's anger at the situation that he didn't react to the strong language. He could usually cope with the lesser curses, but could and would shoot a nasty glare when someone went too far. Instead, he gave a nod of agreement, face filled with worry for the girl beside him as he wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders.</p><p> </p><p>"Well," Oliver began slowly, thinking for a moment before speaking. "Why don't you send something back? Tell them that you're not going to University if you don't want to, that you're officially an adult in the wizarding world. That magic is <em>who </em>you are. That you want to work in History. <em>Wizarding </em>history. If they can't accept that, they don't deserve to be in your life."</p><p> </p><p>Percy nodded his agreement. "Could we borrow your quill, Pen?"</p><p> </p><p>The girl gave a nod, passing it over to Percy, who passed it to Oliver, who grinned.</p><p> </p><p>"Right," Oliver said. "Pass that letter to me. I'll write on the back. Bigger impact."</p><p> </p><p>Lara laughed shakily. "What're you writing?"</p><p> </p><p>"Whatever you want me to...what should I start with? Dear Arseholes?"</p><p> </p><p>Lara snorted, shaking her head and leaning to read over his shoulder as he scrawled onto the paper, dark ink bleeding slightly against the thin muggle paper.</p><p> </p><p>"Dear Mum and Dad..." Oliver spoke aloud as he wrote, explaining what Lara wanted to say but couldn't bring herself to. He finished with a grin. "By the way, I'm moving out. Love, Lara."</p><p> </p><p>He cast a drying charm and smirked as he folded the paper up and stuffed it unceremoniously back into the ripped envelope. "I'll bring it up to the Owlery for you on my way to McGonagall later."</p><p> </p><p>Percy grinned. Oliver had always been extremely protective over the Gryffindor girl, becoming even more so after the incident in fourth year. He shuddered slightly at the thought of the lecture he had received a few months before after Oliver had walked in on them in an incriminating position, but smiled at the fact that Lara had also been on the receiving end of one, too. He didn't know whether the older boy was more annoyed that Percy was dating Lara, or that he was the last to find out. Personally, he was sure that it was the latter.</p><p> </p><p>Lara smiled, murmuring her appreciation. She checked her watch and jumped up, muttering a swear under her breath. "Gotta go, career meeting with the Professor. See you all in a mo'."</p><p> </p><p>Percy smiled fondly as she rushed off, flushing slightly as he caught the looks Penny and Oliver were shooting him. "What?"</p><p> </p><p>"Nothing," the Head Girl rolled her eyes as she patted him on the arm with a condescending smile. "Don't worry your little head about it."</p><p> </p><p>Oliver just grinned.</p><p> </p><p>The rest of the day was spent lounging, talking about the future and laughing as the reminisced about their years at the school.</p><p>They had congratulated Oliver as he had told them his a talent scout had approached him after the final Quidditch match, offering him an interview with the manager of Puddlemere United. He was grinning widely as he spoke, and it was obvious that they were the first ones to be told.</p><p>Penny had told them how she had been accepted into the Healer Traineeship Program at St Mungo's, and how she would be starting a few weeks after the term ended. She smiled embarrassedly as she explained how her older sister had put in a good word, working as an independent medi-witch out of a private practice down Diagon Alley.</p><p>Percy had smiled proudly as he spoke of how he had been offered a place under Mr Crouch within the Department of International Magical Cooperation. He had received bright congratulations, his friends knowing full well how one of his main ambitions was to join the Ministry.</p><p>Lara had flushed and looked down when it was her turn. "Why should we need to know now? We're <em>seventeen</em> - well, you're eighteen, Pen - but still, I don't know what I want to do yet." She had given a small shrug as she explained that she was still looking around, but had her eye on a job that worked with Gringotts Curse Breakers, visiting different historical places and writing about the wards around them.</p><p>Percy had broken one of his rules, rooting through his bag and pulling out a single bottle of firewhiskey, splitting it between four small cups and passing them around. They had been hidden rapidly at the sight of Professor Snape passing by, looking as if he was on the warpath, only to be brought back out as soon as he was out of sight.</p><p>"Cheers," Percy said quietly, holding the plastic cup out for them to tap their own against, smiling as they all repeated the word back to him, knocking back the fiery drink in unison.</p><p> </p>
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<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Chapter 18</h2></a>
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    <p>The end of the year had come quickly, with exams ending and celebrations beginning. The final weeks of classes had been cancelled as expected, and weeks had been spent lazing around on the grounds, feeding the Giant Squid, and exploring Hogwarts' corridors for what would likely be the final time. Plus, for Lara and Percy, sneaking off the grounds to look at apartments and houses within their price range while Penelope and Oliver covered for them with the professors.</p><p>The four ex-seventh years climbed onto the Hogwarts Express for the final time, bittersweet half-smiles on their faces as they left the place that had been home for seven years and entered the real world.</p><p>"Wow," Penny breathed, kicking her legs up on the seat opposite. "Feels odd, huh?"</p><p>Oliver nodded, leaning his head back against the wall as Iggy lounged in his lap. "It's weird. I don't feel like an adult. I don't feel like I'm ready."</p><p>"Will we ever be?" Lara shrugged thoughtfully. "Maybe everyone's faking it and pretending they're not."</p><p>Percy smirked. "It'd explain a lot about the Headmaster." He allowed Lara to lean against him, tucking her legs under her as she made herself comfortable for a long ride.</p><p>They spent the train ride talking, drinking bottled butterbeer and sweets, reminiscing on the good and bad memories; the memories that made them. Oliver had regaled them with his plans to sign his Puddlemere contract the next day, while Penny was planning on applying for a job as St. Mungo's. Percy had straightened up proudly as he had told the three of them about his job interview at the Ministry, his voice filled with a bright excitement. Lara had given a slight shrug when asked what she wanted to do; she knew she wanted to work with History, but she just hadn't figured exactly what yet. She was thinking about that Archaeology position in Egypt, but wasn't too sure - she decided that she would send an owl to Professor McGonagall in a couple of days.</p><p>"It's like the end of an era." Percy soothed Hermes, stroking his feathers gently as the group talked.</p><p> </p><p>"I don't think it's hit me yet," Lara said as they stood on the platform, huddled together as they put off leaving for as long as they could. "I still feel like I'll be coming back in a couple months."</p><p>Oliver nodded. "Me, too. But on to bigger and better, yeah?"</p><p>"Yeah."</p><p>"Well, we'll be seeing you in a couple days, anyway," Penny said with a smile. "Gotta help with unpacking, huh?"</p><p>"Shit," Percy cursed, his face losing its colour almost instantly, leaving him with an almost grey pallor.</p><p>"You okay?"</p><p>Lara laughed lightly at the concerned looks Penny and Oliver shot him, rolling her eyes with a grin. "He hasn't told his parents yet."</p><p>Oliver and Penny snickered as they embraced each other one last time and separated slowly with promises sworn to meet up later that week.</p><p>Percy and Lara took a deep breath between them as they began to walk to the large group of Weasleys.<br/><br/></p><p>Percy exchanged a look with Lara as they spooned soup into their mouths, his face pale and hands sheking slightly. He had noticed the confused frowns they were being sent, and was trying not to let them get to him.</p><p>His girlfriend sighed lightly, unheard in the general hustle-bustle of the busy family meal, and gave him a light kick to the ankle.</p><p>Hiding his slight grimace with a tight smile that couldn't be much better, he spoke directly to the woman beside him. "Did you want to go shopping for furniture tomorrow, Lara?"</p><p>The effect was instantaneous. Lara's eyes widened at the blunt way of speaking, her spoon clattering into the almost empty bowl. His parents shot him confused looks, his father missing his mouth and splattering soup across his shirt. His siblings didn't seem to react too much other than looking up and back down at their meals.</p><p>"Furniture shopping?" Mrs Weasley asked, her voice low and dangerous, drawing the whole room's attention.</p><p>Percy nodded enthusiastically, ignoring the nudge his girlfriend gave him, a mostly-genuine smile on his face. "Yes. Lara and I have bought a house."</p><p>"A house?" Fred asked, voice sly and eyebrows raised.</p><p>George smirked. "How...homely."</p><p>His parents frowned at them, his father asking the question that was on the front of most of the family's minds. "When did you have time to buy a house?"</p><p>"Why did you buy a house? Why do you need to move out?" Mrs Weasley spoke over him, eyes narrowing as she looked at Lara as if blaming the girl for it all.</p><p>Percy smiled. "We weren't planning on it so soon...but we saw this lovely little house, and well, we had to have it."</p><p>"When did you see it?" Bill asked, lips turning up into a mischeivous smirk. "You just got off the train."</p><p>The two recent graduates both took a large spoonful of soup, suddenly unable to answer the question.</p><p>"Oh no," Mrs Weasley glowered at them both. "I would love to hear about that."</p><p>Lara gave a slight shrug. "We saw it in a pamphlet, and after we completed our NEWTs, we decided to have a look. As a treat after a <em>long</em> few weeks of exams."</p><p>Percy interlaced their fingers under the table, their connected hands resting on her thigh as he directed the attention back to him. "It's an empty house at the moment, though, so we need to buy everything. It'll be worth it, though."</p><p>"Can I ask what everyone's thinking?" Ginny asked before continuing without being prompted. "How can you both afford a house?"</p><p>As the whole family turned to them, Percy and Lara exchanged a look before Lara answered for them. "We've both been working while at Hogwarts. Since fourth year. We've been working weekends at Hogsmeade, and then full time during the holidays. We've saved up quite a bit, and managed to have enough for a deposit a couple months ago."</p><p>"How have you been working?"</p><p>Percy flushed. "We went to Hogsmeade and made the point about how busy it gets during the weekends where students were there. I've been sorting books and that kind of thing in Tomes and Scrolls. Lara's been doing similar in Maestro's, but with music."</p><p>"Why didn't you tell us?" Molly's voice was soft, her eyes wide and vulnerable. Percy thought he could detect a bit of hurt in them, and hated that he had been the one to put it there.</p><p>He sighed. "I didn't want to embarrass you both. I know we don't have a lot, and I don't mind that. I don't like asking for help buying presents and things, and Lara doesn't get money from home, so we wanted to do it ourselves. It just went into savings."</p><p>Molly sighed and shook her head. "Fine. Let me see this house."</p><p>Lara gave a light nod, leaving the room to search for it in her trunk.<br/><br/></p><p>As soon as the door had closed behind her, Molly leaned towards her son, voice hushed. "She isn't pressuring you, is she, Percy? You don't need to do this."</p><p>Percy let out a surprised laugh, shaking his head quickly. "Of course not! It was me who asked Lara, actually."</p><p>"Why didn't you tell us before?"</p><p>Percy lifted the spoon to his lips. The soup had gone cold. He swallowed it anyway. "It wasn't on purpose. I promise. We just lost track of time, and it didn't feel right to just leave and owl you, unlike<em> some</em> people." At that, he sent a pointed look to his older brother, who was sitting beside Lara's empty chair.</p><p>Charlie shot him a vicious glare. Percy smiled.</p><p>"Here it is," Lara said as she entered the room once more, leaning over to pass the pamphlet to Mrs Weasley. "It's the one on the front page. Beautiful, isn't it?"</p><p>Percy gave her a warm grin as she sat down. "Perfect."<br/><br/></p><p>"Oh, it is quite lovely," Mrs Weasley said quietly as she passed the booklet to her husband. "That does <em>not</em> mean I'm not unhappy with the two of you."</p><p>"At least it's in the same country," Lara sympathised. "The area is brilliant. A lot of space for Quidditch. Puls, there's a big kitchen, so we'll definitely be inviting everyone around a lot!"</p><p>"You don't even like Quidditch," Percy muttered under his breath. "Suck up."</p><p>When Lara shot him a smirk and twitch of her eyebrows, he felt his cheeks burn as he shot her a glower.</p><p>Bill snorted from across the table.</p><p>They shared another look; one of slight terror.</p><p>Thankfully, neither of Percy's parents seemed to have heard the side comment, as they talked in low voices in the corner of the room, away from eavesdroppers. Apparently, the twins weren't hearing anything, judging by the slight disappointment on their faces as they leaned over slightly.</p><p>"I think this means I win the bet," Percy murmured as he pushed his soup away. "The walls are <em>not </em>going to be red. Thank Merlin."</p><p>"Can we at least have a red carpet?"</p><p>"No."</p><p>The woman scoffed mockingly, her eyes bright. "Have some house pride, Weasley. Maybe I should've married Oliver instead. He'd let me paint the walls red."</p><p>"And yet," Percy whipered, poking her lightly. "You chose to kill him."</p><p>"'Course I chose to kill him. I wasn't gonna kill <em>Penny </em>and the other option's sickening."</p><p>The man snorted, ears reddening. "I'm gonna tell him that when he comes to help."</p><p>"Do that, and I'll tell him about what really happened to Professor Wilder."</p><p>"You wouldn't dare!" Percy hissed, smile wide and victorious. "Because <em>you</em> were there, too."<br/><br/></p><p>Percy's parents sighed as they sat back at the table. "Anyone for seconds?"</p><p>Lara smiled and shook her head. "No thank you. That was beautiful, Mrs Weasley."</p><p>"Molly, Dear."</p><p>Percy helped his mother with the washing up despite her protests, listening curiously as Ron absolutely thrashed his girlfriend at chess in the living room. She had never been a good player, and Ren was the best of them all.</p><p>"You are happy, aren't you, Perce?" Mum asked quietly as she wiped her hands on the dish towel.</p><p>He smiled genuinely, giving her a nod of confirmation. "I really am, Mum."</p><p>"Oh, you're all growing up so fast," she said, eyes beginning to warter as she pulled him into a hug that threatened to break his bones.<br/><br/></p><p>They were in Percy's room late that night, talking quietly as the record player whirred. Elton John's voice filled the room, hiding their conversation from outside ears.</p><p>"-sure you don't want to tell anyone?"</p><p>Percy shook his head, looking up from the book in his hands and pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head. "Nah, that can wait. I think mum'd have a heart attack if we told her. Think I'll have you all to myself for now."</p><p>Lara laughed lightly, one hand on the back of his neck as she brought their lips together, as the door opened suddenly.</p><p>Percy glowered at Bill, the two jumping apart despite the fact that they hadn't been doing anything particularly scandalous. "Really? How old are you? Have you forgotten how to knock? I'd be happy to teach you again."</p><p>His oldest brother rolled his eyes, taking a seat on Percy's desk chair and staring at them for a moment. "Does Mum know you're both in here? Alone? With the door closed?"</p><p>"Bill," Percy said slowly, enunciating his words clearly in a condescending tone that made Lara snicker. "Lara literally sleeps in my dorm at Hogwarts."</p><p>"Wow, how did you get old McGonagall to allow that?"</p><p>They grinned at the memory, exchanging a shrug and nod. "Lara gets nightmares. Woke the tower up every night for two weeks in a row. They made a petition."</p><p>He gave a nod of understanding. "And for how much of that have the two of you been..." He gave a leer. "Courting?"</p><p>Lara snorted while Percy shook his head, ears reddening. "What?"</p><p>"Come on, don't play dumb. We all know you're not. Moving in together? A little house in the hills? Not particularly platonic, is it?"</p><p>"Maybe it is." Lara gave him a raised eyebrow, turning the page of Percy's book as she reached the bottom.</p><p>"Not when you add the way Percy reacted to that look at dinner. And don't pretend you weren't practically holding hands through the whole thing. And what I just walked in on. Sickening."</p><p>Percy gave a slight eyeroll. "You can't tell Mum. Or the others."</p><p>Bill smiled, a twisted smile that made Lara and Percy nervous.</p>
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<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter 19</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The two seventeen year olds grinned widely as they stared up at the house.</p><p>It was a small three-bedroom cottage on the outskirts of a small wizarding village in the Welsh highlands, with long stretches of bright grassy farmland surrounding it. Soft green plants stretched up the stone walls in a way that made Lara think of the fairytales her mother used to read her as a child.</p><p>She smiled at Percy, holding her hand out for him to take as they passed through the gate and approached the door.</p><p>"Ready?"</p><p>"Ready."</p><p>They pushed the door open together, stopping as they stood in the hall to look around. It was empty, as had been expected, other than a couple of things.</p><p>"I still think red walls would be brilliant," Lara complained as she moved the rented move-a-trunk into the middle of the living room and unlocked the latches.</p><p>Percy rolled his eyes at her, barely suppressing a smile. "You can paint the spare room red. Other than that, no."</p><p>Lara knelt down beside the trunk and sighed. "I'll go down."</p><p>Without waiting for a reply, she climbed in and looked around. A new addition to the market, the trunks had been released specifically to aid with moving large items between areas, and it had been a godsend to them in the week they had spent packing.</p><p>"What d'you want first?"</p><p>Percy looked around the bare room, trying to picture what would be needed. "What's the biggest thing you have?"</p><p>"The sofas."</p><p>"That, then."</p><p>He waited patiently as the large object began to rise, training his wand on it nd beginning to levitate it into place, then bringing up the other, placing them into an L shape around the trunk, just like they had planned extensively, small drawings on parchment denoting the precise location of every single piece of furniture within the trunk. He knew that Lara would likely force him to move them as soon as she came up just to be contrary, but it would do for the moment.</p><p>They continued like that for the next few hours, moving around the house slowly and emptying the trunk in record time. They were expected to be back at the burrow for five on the dot, and had no plans to be late.</p><p>Oliver and Penny joined them at noon, quickly throwing themselves into the work. Oliver had done as expected, suggesting that the walls be painted red, while Percy and Penny had given them an unanimous denial, glowers on their faces as they declared that the walls would be kept much more neutral. Percy had, however, allowed the carpet in the living room to be changed to red so long as the walls remained untouched.</p><p>"D'you reckon we have the bed against the side wall in the corner? Or d'you want it in the middle of the wall?"</p><p>"Middle," Lara said wand twisting as she levitated the large wooden bed out of the trunk. They had managed to find the bed in a muggle second hand store, and had instantly fell in love with it - and with the low price.</p><p>They sat on the couches that evening, takeaway pizza boxes splayed across the coffee table, and smiled at each other. The fire was burning, casting light and warmth across the room.</p><p>Lara lay across the sofa, back resting against Percy's shoulder, legs hanging over the arm of the chair and swinging idly. Iggy lounger across the back of the sofa, dark red fur contrasting with the homely brown leather.</p><p>The walls had been kept a homely shade of light cream, a few shades darker than white, contrasting nicely with the dark wood floor. A shaggy maroon rug stretched across the floor in front of the sofas, adding a nice amount of colour to the room.</p><p>Lara closed her eyes in contentment as she leaned against Percy. She thought about how far the four of them had come.</p><p>She and Percy had met first on the train back in first year. They had spent the whole train ride talking about the books they had been assigned and the lessons they thought would be most interesting. It had surprised her as she lay in the Gryffindor girls' dormitories that night, how she had managed to spend almost nine full hours talking to someone.</p><p>Oliver had been next to join their group, sitting with them after being sorted into Gryffindor. He had talked about Quidditch, Percy jumping in with facts he had learned, Lara listening quietly, wondering what the hell Quidditch was.</p><p>Penelope had been the last of them. She had been added to their table in Herbology after an uneven amount of students left her the only Ravenclaw without a group. She had been instantly accepted, liked even, when she had stopped Percy from being strangled by a plant he had piled too much dung on top of.</p><p>"It's weird," she observed, voice low. "You don't notice how much has changed."</p><p>Oliver gave a sober nod before grinning and giving a light chuckle. "I know. At first, Percy was a right insufferable little sod!"</p><p>Percy put on an offended frown, but found that he couldn't really argue. In the first few months at Hogwarts, he had been so intent on proving himself, on being his own person separate to his brothers, that he had completely isolated himself from everyone. While yes, he was still quite pompous, more than a little haughty and a huge stickler for the rules, that was just his personality and after making friends, he'd started to tone it down a lot with the knowledge that he didn't need to pretend to be someone else to be liked.</p><p>"Yes, fine. I'll admit to that." Percy rolled his eyes. "You weren't much better, though, Wood. I thought Jack was going to<em> kill</em> you after the third night in a row nattering on about brooms and Quidditch."</p><p>Penny snickered. "I'd have <em>killed </em>the two of you if I had to share a dorm with you in first year."</p><p>Lara laughed. "Nah, they're still that bad now, Pen."</p><p>"I don't know what you're laughing at, Grey," Oliver said, face bright and cheeks slightly reddened after a particularly large gulp of whatever alcoholic beverage he was currently drinking. "You were just as bad, nose in a book just like our BigHead Boy!"</p><p>Percy's eyes narrowed at the reminder of the prank pulled by the twins. "Nothing wrong with reading. Just because you're illiterate, Olly."</p><p>Oliver laughed with them, the conversation dissolving quickly into quiet as they looked around, realising for the first time that this was real.</p><p>Things were changing, and so were they.</p><p> </p>
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<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter 20</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"So, then Mr Crouch says, the Triwizard Tournament will be hosted at Hogwarts this year." Lara smiled at the excitement in Percy's voice, the pride in his voice at being trusted with such information.</p><p>She was dressed in a comfortable pair of jeans and one of Oliver's old Puddlemere United sweaters - it had gone 'missing' from their dorm in sixth year - with a muggle coat on top. Her bag was slung over one shoulder as she prepared to travel into the muggle world. She wondered for a short moment when it had stopped being 'her world'.</p><p>"It'll only be two days Perce, I'll be back before you know it."</p><p>Percy smiled slightly as she gave him a quick hug, capturing her lips for a short moment before they stepped back almost at the same time.</p><p>"If you need anything, send me a patronus."</p><p>Lara laughed under her breath. "Percy, I'm going to visit my parents, not a warzone." She stepped back, her hand on the handle. "Have fun at the Quidditch Cup. Give Olly and your family a hug from me."</p><p>"You saw him last night," Percy said with a roll of his eyes.</p><p>The woman gave a slight shrug and a wave as she passed through the door and disapparated.</p><p> </p><p>Typically, Lara wanted to leave almost the moment she entered the house. It was almost exactly as she remembered; the same sterile white and grey walls and furniture. No photographs graced the walls or surfaces of shelves (one of the first things she had made sure to do at the cottage), no personal items in view.</p><p>She had seen more character in a stone wall.</p><p>Despite that, she put on her usual blank smile and nodded at her mother's insincere questions, giving short answers every so often.</p><p>"And are you still...with that boy?" The distaste in her mother's voice was obvious, and Lara found herself bristling as she shot her a narrow eyed look.</p><p>"I am, yes." She shifted slightly in her seat. The modern style sofa was uncomfortable. She hoped that her childhood bed at least had stayed the same.</p><p>Her father gave a short nod. "We can accept that."</p><p>You don't need to accept that, Lara wanted to say, wanted to shout. It's none of your business. Instead, she smiled and gave an absent nod.</p><p>"What are your plans?"</p><p>At this question, Lara smiled genuinely. "Well, I've been accepted for a job in Archaeology in Egypt. It's a temporary position at the moment, and there'll be a lot of travelling, but I'm pretty excited."</p><p>"And in the real world?"</p><p>"What do you mean by that?" Lara raised an eyebrow slightly, working to keep her tone civil.</p><p>Her father looked right at her. "You're seventeen, Lara. Eighteen in three weeks. You need to start thinking about your life, instead of this silly magic-"</p><p>Lara laughed, shooting him a sardonic smile. "Father, magic is part of who I am. I thought you understood that. Thought that was why you invited me round."</p><p>Her mother gave a deep sigh. "Lara, you need to think realistically-"</p><p>Lara thought about Percy, about how he was probably already at the World Cup, probably setting up a tent and getting ready to watch the match. She regretted declining the offer to go with them.</p><p>"-you listening, Lara?"</p><p>The woman nodded. "Of course I am, Mother. You were talking about how useful a University education would be." She had listened to these lectures enough in the past few years that she was able to guess with a level of accuracy.</p><p>Her mother looked pleased as she began to continue with the lecture.</p><p>Lara allowed her thoughts to drift once more.</p><p>She was going to be travelling to the Ministry in the morning to get her travel and work permit before she could sign her contract. She was fortunate that the base in Egypt had a floo address, and so she would be able to return home every night so long as work permitted it. </p><p>The week had been spent reading up on runes and different parts of Egyptian history in preparation.</p><p>"-so all you need to do is move back in."</p><p>Lara choked, her eyes widening. 'Scuse me?"</p><p>Her father shook his head wearily, crossing his ankles as he leaned forward. "I have a friend at Oxford. If you move back in and begin studying, we might be able to get you an interview."</p><p>"Father, I have a house already."</p><p>"Not one where you have the right environment to study. If you leave your...ah, your boyfriend...come back home-"</p><p>"Why would I leave Percy?" Lara sat up straighter from her slouched position, her lips starting to contort into a scowl.</p><p>"He isn't...well, he's rather common, is he not? Jane has a son your age-"</p><p>Lara scoffed and shook her head. "I'm sorry, Mother, Father. I can sit and listen to your speeches about magic being rubbish and needing to get a 'proper' education, but don't you <em>dare </em>insult Percy in front of me."</p><p>"You were never like this before you went away to that school and met that boy, Lara."</p><p>The woman smiled slightly. "I was. Maybe you would have noticed if you spent time with me. My friends, Percy included, just helped me realise it." She paused for a moment. "I won't be coming back. Not if you expect me to leave my magic, my home, <em>Percy</em>. Never. If you can't accept that...well, I won't be coming back."</p><p>With that, she turned and left, disapparating with a crack.</p><p>She appeared outside Penelope's home, a warm house she had visited over many school holidays. She could see the shadow of a woman in the window, and hesitated slightly, not wanting to intrude.</p><p>"Lara!" Penelope stood by the gate, a smile on her lips as she approached quickly. "I'm guessing it didn't go well?" She gestured towards the bag on her shoulder and the tears on her cheeks.</p><p>Lara let out a shaky sigh, collapsing into the older girl's arms as she reached her side.</p><p>"Oh, what happened? They don't usually get to you this much?"</p><p>"They-they were awful, Pen...they wanted me to come home, leave Perce...meet their friend's son. I left." Her cheeks grew red with anger as she repeated everything they had said, her voice trembling with rage.</p><p>Penny held her tighter, a string of curses muttered under her breath as she held her. "Come on in, it's freezing out here. Mum's just making lunch. You can stay here while Perce's away."</p><p> </p><p> </p>
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<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Chapter 21</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"There's been an attack," Penelope said, her voice faint. "At the World Cup. Death Eaters."</p><p>They sat at the kitchen table, used to being awake early. Mugs of tea were tucked between their hands as Lara listened to Penelope read the news out loud.</p><p>Lara gasped lightly, moving closer so she could see the Daily Prophet. "Last night? Shit! Does it-"</p><p>Penelope grabbed her shoulder, her hand a comforting weight. "Nothing's mentioned. I bet they're back at The Burrow."</p><p>"Okay, then...I'm gonna go and get dressed, then head over." Lara rose to her feet, throwing away the rest of her slice of toast as she left the kitchen, her mind swirling with panic.</p><p>She knew that Percy was okay, that he was alive, because if he wasn't, it would certainly be in the Prophet. But the fact was, she didn't believe it, and wouldn't until she was with Percy and could see him with her own eyes.</p><p>Penny followed close behind her. "I'm going to do the same with Oliver. I'll send you a patronus as soon as I get there and see him."</p><p>Neither of them minded that the other was in the room as they dressed, hurriedly pulling on their shoes and grabbing their wands as they left.</p><p> </p><p>Lara appeared just outside The Burrow and was quick in racing to the door and knocking against it.</p><p>It was answered almost immediately by Mrs Weasley, who looked like she hadn't slept at all. She shot Lara a slight smile as she stepped to the side. "Percy's right through here. They only got back a couple of hours ago."</p><p>"He's okay?" Lara knew her voice was quiet, filled with a worry she usually didn't allow to show.</p><p>Molly nodded her head. "He is. A few cuts and bruises, but nothing that can't be healed."</p><p>She let out a huge sigh of relief, moving through to the living room and smiling at the sight of everyone, sitting and lounging across the room. </p><p>Percy sat in an armchair in the corner, his legs tucked underneath him as he read through a book. He looked up at the feeling of someone watching him and smiled. "Lara...what?"</p><p>The woman shrugged with a light grin as she moved through the room, dodging legs and objects to sit on the arm of the chair. "Change of plans. Spent the night at Penny's. She's checking on Olly."</p><p>Almost as if her words summoned it, a silvery animal appeared in front of them, its feathers fluffed and wings outstretched, attracting the quiet attention of those who were awake. "Oliver's fine. Mad that Ireland lost."</p><p>Lara and Percy laughed quietly as Percy murmured the spell under his breath, glancing at the woman beside him, and spoke to the inquisitive looking fox. "We're both fine here. Oliver was dumb for believing Ireland would win."</p><p>"What was that?" Hermione's hair was more bushy than usual, likely from racing through a forest the night before.</p><p>"It's a patronus," Percy explained lightly. "They're able to be used as messengers."</p><p>The girl nodded, opening her mouth as if to begin another line of questioning, right as Arthur entered the room and collapsed onto the couch with a heavy sigh. He had been at the Ministry all night, trying to sort things out with the muggles who had been attacked.</p><p>"Everything alright, Dad?" Charlie asked quietly.</p><p>The man gave a short nod but didn't elaborate, instead changing the subject.</p><p> </p><p>"I was terrified," Lara admitted in a murmur as they lay in Percy's bed that evening, legs tangled and a book open between them, Iggy and Crookshanks play-fighting on the ground beside the open door. "When Penny said there's been an attack...my first thought-"</p><p>The room was exactly as it had been the summer before, albeit slightly emptier. His posters were still hanging on the wall, there was still a slightly blackened stain on the wall from where one of the twins had snuck a firework into his room while he was away in his first year. The bookshelves were half empty, with only a few older books still there.</p><p>The man sighed, wrapping an arm tighter around her shoulder and pressing a light kiss to her temple. "You want to know my first thought when everything started to happen?"</p><p>There was a bang and a cacaphony of laughter from downstairs, obviously the twins' doing.</p><p>"What?" Lara frowned.</p><p>Percy thought back to the night before. To the fires that surrounded them, black cloaks, screams and yells of fear and pain. Lungs almost bursting from exertion as they raced to the apparition point. The paralyzing fear when his youngest brother and his friends had disappeared. "Thank Merlin Lara isn't here."</p><p>"Why?" </p><p>"Because," Percy explained, his voice barely a whisper. "If you had been hurt, I don't know what I would've done."</p><p>"Oi, you two," Bill said from the door, slight smirk on his lips. "Mum's sending everyone to bed. If you still don't want anyone knowing...well, you're going the wrong way about it. May as well be sh-"</p><p>He ducked when Percy threw a quill at him, shooting them a smile and a shrug as he raised his hands in surrender and retreated quickly after closing the door with a teasing wink.</p>
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<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Chapter 22</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lara knew that something was wrong as soon as she entered the house to see Percy on the couch, piles of parchment in front of him and a weary frown on his face. He'd been struggling a lot in the past few months, had fallen under a lot of heat for not noticing that Mr Crouch had been under the imperius curse, and subsequently murdered. She knew that he had been beating himself up just as much, seeing his dreams - everything he had worked so incredibly hard for - falling down around him.</p><p>He had been so incredibly proud when he had returned only two nights before, being given the position of Junior Assistant to the Minister for Magic. Of course, neither of them were stupid; they both knew that the main reason he had been given the position was because of his family ties to Professor Dumbledore. Still, they also both knew that Percy more than deserved the job, knew that he was one of the people who worked hard for his position.</p><p>She had been out all day on a trip to Egypt, deciphering ancient runes in an attempt to learn about the wards on different tombs. Her paper was going well, almost finished, and she was fully enjoying the opportunity to visit a place filled with such interesting history.</p><p>Lara moved closer to him, sitting down beside him on the couch, tucking her legs below her and placing a gentle hand on top of a trembling hand. His face was pale, freckles standing out in stark contrast, eyes filled with a horrible mixture of anger and hurt. She couldn't bring herself to smile, even as he absentmindedly twisted his hand around, entangling their fingers together even as he slowly scrawled his messy signature at the bottom of the parchment, the usual jagged edges purposely becoming more and more delicate as he concentrated on making it as un-Percy-like as he possibly could.</p><p>"Percy?" She asked cautiously after half an hour or so of silence, voice quiet and careful. She waited for him to look at her before pulling him into a tight hug, her arms wrapping around him as she held him close to her, one hand finding its way into messy hair, fingers gently running through the red strands the same way he did when she woke from nightmares at night.</p><p>"He didn't give me a change," the man murmured, voice muffled by the sweater covering her shoulder. "Didn't let me explain that it could be good."</p><p>Lara felt her heart break at the despondent tone, not speaking, knowing that he needed to get everything out. He had never been particularly close with his parents; it was difficult in such a large family to stick out, and he had spent so long trying. She knew that it hurt him that his family hadn't even heard him out.</p><p>They had spoken the night before, and Percy had decided to push his pride to the side and tell his parents about the promotion he had been given, despite understanding that it meant that he would become a mere pawn in Dumbledore's chessboard. He had worked so hard to have an impact, and what could be more useful than being directly below the Minister for Magic at such a time as the return of You-Know-Who?</p><p>"I know they want to watch me, I know that..." he sighed quietly, voice slightly choked and just un-Percy-like. "But...I worked for it, didn't I? I proved I was ready, didn't I? I mean, I ran the whole department for Mr Crouch most of last year. Maybe it's a bit early, but I would've got there myself, still, wouldn't I?"</p><p>Lara nodded, feeling the day-old stubble against her forehead as she did so. The sound of such a self-assured man, confident in his abilities, wrecked by his family, was almost agonising. "Of course Perce. You got exactly what you've aimed for, and just because there's a reason for it, just because it's earlier than it might have been...that doesn't mean that you don't deserve it."</p><p>They stayed like that for a few moments later, legs tangled together, arms wrapped around one another, close enough to be a single person, until the rumbling of Lara's stomach had them pulling back with quiet chuckles.</p><p>"Sorry," Lara smiled, wiping at the wetness under her eyes. "We didn't have a chance for dinner. They found a new runic pattern in the third tomb."</p><p>Percy nodded interestedly, listening quietly as she talked about her day with the sole intention of distracting him.</p><p>Lara looked through the cooled cupboards, frowning slightly as she moved things to the side with her fingertips, toes stretching to try and see what else they had. "What do you fancy? We've got loads of pasta in...vegetables, too...uh, a little ham in here."</p><p>Percy opened another, rooting through the tins and jars idly. "We have a jar of tomato sauce in here. Tomato pasta?"</p><p>Lara nodded. "I'm pretty sure there's some minced meat near the back. Could you have a look for me?" She had long since admitted that Percy was better at looking for things at the backs of the higher cupboards.</p><p>She pressed a gentle and loving kiss to his cheek as he passed, their hands brushing together for a moment before they continued preparing their meal in a calm silence.</p><p>"What can I do?" Lara asked gently as they lay in bed later that night, Iggy napping out in the living room, having claimed the spot on the carpet under the coffee table as his own.</p><p>Percy sighed almost silently beside her, turning onto his side to look her in the eyes as he spoke, a slight smile on his lips - the only one she had seen that night. He gave a half-shrug, pulling her closer and closing his eyes as she sighed against his chest, feeling the curl of her lips as she closed her eyes and let out a content breath.</p><p>"You're already doing it," he whispered, the words almost going unheard in the night.</p>
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<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Chapter 23</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>29th September 1995</p><p>"Shit," Lara hissed, staring at the two light lines with dawning horror. She ran a hand across her face rubbing her eyes and opening them again as if it would change the facts. She gave a shake of her head, moving from where she had been crouched beside the toilet and splashing some water against her face in an attempt to cool down.</p><p>Percy was at work, had been called into the Ministry early that morning after an issue had been found in one of the departments he was overlooking. It wasn't a particularly uncommon occurrence, and while Lara usually hated it, she couldn't help but find herself sighing in relief as she stuffed the bundle of thin sticks under the laundry basket. She knew Percy Weasley well; well enough to know full well that he wouldn't find anything hidden in the one place he tended to avoid like the plague.</p><p>She stumbled into the kitchen, murmuring a quiet apology as she almost tripped over a lazing Iggy, who hissed at her as she passed. She could see her reflection in the window above the sink and shuddered at the grey pallor to her face.</p><p>Lara closed her eyes, leaning against the counter, wondering what she could do for a moment before deciding that distraction would be best. She made herself busy heating up a pot of water and preparing two mugs of tea, levitating them into the living room and setting up a warming charm around them.</p><p>She sighed faintly, lighting the fire in the living room and throwing the green metallic powder into the flames, kneeling down as she spoke quietly.</p><p>"Lara?"</p><p>Penelope's face appeared above her and Lara marvelled for a moment at the odd feeling of looking up at her friend from the ground. "Hey Pen...do you...could you come 'round?"</p><p>Penelope gave a quick nod, confusion in her expression. "Sure, just give me a second."</p><p>Lara nodded, pulling back and letting out a sigh of relief at being back on what felt more like solid ground. She took a minute to stand up, only making it to the couch before emerald flames lit up the room and her friend stepped through.</p><p>Penny's face was instantly filled with concern as she moved to sit down. "Lara? Are you hurt? What happened? Is Percy-"</p><p>Lara shook her head, stopping instantly when her stomach lurched, raising a hand to cover her lips for a moment before finding the ability to speak. "No. Percy's fine...I..." she sighed and began to explain, cheeks on fire.</p><p>When she finished, Penny stared at her for a minute straight, mug in her hands left untouched, before bursting into raucous laughter. She put the mug back on the coffee table, not noticing as tea jumped out of the sides, splattering against the wood, as the sounds of her pure glee filled the room, ignoring the disgruntled glare her friend shot her.</p><p>Iggy shot them the kneazle version of a venomous glare from his spot under the table before going back to grooming himself.</p><p>"You?" Penny chortled, face red and voice shaking from laughter.</p><p>Lara nodded slowly, miserably.</p><p>"And what's wrong?"</p><p>Lara raises an incredulous eyebrow. "Pen, we're on the verge of a wizarding war. Percy and me are-"</p><p>"Percy and I."</p><p>"Percy and I are not in contact with our families. We have no idea what we're doing. Percy's spying in the Ministry. I spend most of my time in ancient tombs, in contact with unknown curses. Again, we're on the verge of a bloody war."</p><p>Penny paused for a moment, deciding whether to be blunt or supportive with her closest friend. "Lara, you know I love you..."</p><p>Lara prepared herself for the comment, giving a nod to show that she was ready. "Lay it on me."</p><p>"But that's absolute bullshit."</p><p>"'Scuse me?" Lara raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms as he shot the woman a glare.</p><p>Penelope shook her head. "Those are excuses. If you didn't want a baby, why didn't you use the spells?"</p><p>"We usually do," Lara murmured, covering her face with her hands as if it would shield her from the embarrassment.</p><p>"And?"</p><p>"And we forgot," she whispered. "It was a little...unexpected."</p><p>Penny sighed and rolled her eyes at the younger woman. "Right, we'll leave it at that. I really don't want to hear about it. Too late now, I guess. Only thing to ask is...what're you going to do?"</p><p>Lara shook her head miserably, hand moving to her stomach almost unconsciously. "I don't know."</p><p>She thought about a baby. A boy or girl in the spare bedroom, walls painted a light shade of green or blue or purple or pink. Red hair, just like Percy's, dark blue eyes like her own, a light smattering of freckles covering a delicately tiny face, tiny hands reaching for her. She smiled slightly but shook her head, trying to push the heartbreakingly beautiful image away.</p><p>Penny nodded, a gentle smile appearing on her kind face, though there was a small amount of pity in her light eyes, as she moved to Lara's side, wrapping a warm arm around her shoulders. "That's okay. You don't need to decide anything right now...are you going to tell Percy?"</p><p>The woman frowned, eyes narrowing slightly. "Why wouldn't I? This isn't just my decision. I- I couldn't keep this from him."</p><p>The Ravenclaw smiled proudly, giving Lara a proud tilt of her head. "Good. That's the most important thing at the moment. Everything else can be figured out later."</p><p>Lara frowned. "D'you think...what would you do?"</p><p>"I don't know," Penelope shrugged slightly, pulling her legs onto the couch after taking her shoes off, noticing the narrow eyes Lara shot her. "I never...I don't want kids, you know? So I think that's different, isn't it?"</p><p>"Yeah...I never really thought about it." She thought for a moment, fingers twisting the fabric of her t-shirt. "If...if I were to keep it...do you think..." she trailed off, giving Penny a look that she thought explained her thought process.</p><p>"What do I think Percy'd think? Do?" Lara nodded.</p><p>Penny frowned thoughtfully. "I couldn't say...you know him a lot better than I do. I do know that he'd support you, no matter what you wanted. But you need to talk to him. You can't just act like nothing's up. Talk to him, and have a real conversation, Lara. This is a big thing, don't act like it isn't."</p><p>Lara nodded, whispering her thanks as they finished their drinks in a relatively comfortable silence, so much left unspoken between them.</p>
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<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Chapter 24</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry for the long wait - been a bit of a struggle to get the motivation, but I hope you enjoy.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It took a full week and a half before Lara managed to pluck up the courage to speak with Percy.</p><p>She struggled to sleep at night, worry stretching around her chest like an elastic band that tightened with every breath. She knew that it was a bad time, that either of them could die, that having a baby and that information getting out could put Percy's position in danger. Could end with all of them dead. They were young, barely nineteen, barely adults themselves, and the only support they had was from their friends, who were no more experienced - what a truly terrible time to be away from family.</p><p>But despite herself, she couldn't think of anything she wanted more than this baby, and that scared her. Only a week ago the idea of a child, her child, had made her nauseous. She wasn’t someone to be depended on, and having someone who needed you to live wasn’t something she was used to.<br/>
Would she leave if Percy didn't want it? Would she be able to? She steeled herself for the inevitable conversation that was to come.</p><p>He had just returned from the Ministry, a slight smile on his lips that told her the day had been pretty good by the usual standards. She waited until after they had eaten, the dirty plates piled beside the sink, waiting to be cleaned by hand - Lara had never particularly liked using magic to clean things, and found the manual movements to be comforting.</p><p>They sat on the sofa, Iggy stretched out on Lara's lap, purring lightly. Percy was completely absorbed in the book he held, something about the legalities of different potions in Europe. She could feel the plastic digging into her side as she sat beside him, hands fidgeting slightly as she twisted the hem of her shirt sleeve.</p><p>Her tea had long since gone cold and she lamented the waste of the new teabag in the untouched drink.</p><p>"What's wrong?" Percy murmured, concerned gaze fixing itself on her face. His lips were twisted into a slight frown that she hated having put there.</p><p>"What? Nothing." </p><p>Percy gave an unamused huff. "You're fidgeting, Lara." He gestured towards her fingers with a slightly sardonic grin, setting down the book and turning to look directly at her. "What's wrong?"</p><p>The woman sighed, closing her eyes as she reached into the pocket of her pants, pulling out the plastic sticks and holding them out in one trembling hand.</p><p>She bit the inside of her cheek as she felt her eyes beginning to water, blinking rapidly as Percy stared down at her hands. The blood drained from his face.</p><p>"That-"</p><p>"Yeah."</p><p>"That...is-" Percy sighed and started again. "Are you...?"</p><p>Lara nodded slowly, feeling suddenly ill as she waited for the man to react. To laugh or yell or leave. He didn't. Instead, he stared for a minute, then two, his eyes wide and lips slightly parted in surprise.</p><p>"There's...there's a baby?" Percy's voice was filled with an amazement she had never heard before. His wide eyes were centralised on her stomach, staring as if he expected it to grow larger by the second.</p><p>She gave another nod, watching in silence as he looked up at her, his dark eyes filled with awe and something else she didn't quite recognise.</p><p>"Ours?" Percy whispered.</p><p>Lara raised an eyebrow, waiting for his mind to catch up, smiling slightly as his cheeks reddened slightly and he gave an embarrassed smile.</p><p>She didn't understand; why wasn't he shouting? Why was he...smiling? She didn't understand.</p><p>"Wow," he murmured, hand reaching out to clasp around hers, releasing a surprised chuckle. "I- well, it's a little surprising."</p><p>Lara let out a quiet snort, nodding in agreement as they fell into a silence filled with words that weren't spoken.</p><p>"What...when did you find out?" Percy asked, voice quiet amongst the crackling of the fire.</p><p>Lara frowned. "Just over a week...I should've-"</p><p>The week had been spent panicking, worrying and exchanging lots of letters with Penelope, who was starting to grow agitated with Lara's putting it off. Well, at least she'd be happy now.</p><p>"Why didn't you say something?" Percy asked quietly, confusion and more than a little hurt evident in his voice.</p><p>"I was scared," Lara admitted, eyes on the two tests laid out on the coffee table. "I didn't...I didn't know what...I thought you'd be mad."</p><p>Percy let out a quiet laugh, tilting his head slightly in question. "Why would I be mad?"</p><p>"Because I forgot the charms," the woman admitted in a near whisper. "And I don't know if...I don't know if you even want-"</p><p>Percy interrupted, voice soft as he took her hands, holding gently. "First, we forgot the charms. It happens, I get it."</p><p>He frowned for a moment, thinking and organising his thoughts. "As for the second...I don't know. I never thought about it. I - with you...I'd be happy to..." he spoke in broken sentences, speaking only half of his thoughts as his mind whirred.</p><p>"But what about the war?" Lara asked.</p><p>Percy squeezed her hands lightly, raising her left to press a gentle kiss to her knuckles. "We can cope. I know we can. I mean, it'd be dangerous. I'm not - the Weasleys are publicly against You-Know-Who, I don't want to risk them targeting you. We'd have to figure something out...but...we could do it. We always figure it out."</p><p>Lara gave a slow nod, not completely sure still, but feeling slightly better anyway. "We don't have...but nobody can help us."</p><p>"We'll find a way. If, of course...if-" he cut himself off, knowing that the woman understood what he was trying to ask.</p><p>Lara smiled back at him, lips trembling slightly, eyes watering but sure. "We'll find a way." She paused for a moment before continuing. "I mean, we still have Ol and Pen. We can figure it out."</p><p>"Merlin," Percy murmured after a few minutes of silence, turning his head from the fire to look at the woman, his face bright and open, eyes warmer than they had been before. "A baby!"</p><p>Lara chuckled quietly at the pure astonishment in his face and voice, feeling her heart lurch slightly. Why had she been worried in the first place? This was Percy! And hadn't Penelope been right? Hadn't she told her that it would all be alright? Maybe it would all turn out alright.</p><p>Maybe, just maybe they'd all be okay.</p><p>But, well, that never happened.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Chapter 25</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Something needs to happen, Percy," Lara murmured against Percy's chest as they lay in bed early on a Saturday morning, the first in a while that Percy hadn’t been pulled in to the Ministry. "He's back."</p><p>The man gave a nod, one hand running through her hair, undoing tangles that had gotten caught. The other was rubbing light circles on her stomach, hoping for a response despite the earliness. "I know, but what can we do? We aren't Harry Potter or the Headmaster. We’re just...us."</p><p>"Well, you have your job, right? Assistant for the Minister. It's going to kick off soon, Perce - he's back and the Ministry are going to fold. He's going to take over, like he did in the first war."</p><p>Percy continued the line of thought, his voice quiet as he spoke what his girlfriend was unable to. "I'll be in the perfect place to spy. To find out the inside information. It's perfect. But I...I won't be able to make up with my family.."</p><p>"I know Perce...and...it won't work if it's just the two of us - we need more."</p><p>"Oliver'd be here in a second if we sent an owl. Penny, too."</p><p>They rose slowly, still discussing things they could do, dressing in a daze as they headed to the kitchen for the usual cup of tea. While yes, it was early for a weekend morning, there was a lot that they needed to do.</p><p> </p><p>Penelope and Oliver arrived quickly as expected, Lara having sent them a patronus.</p><p>"Percy? Lara?" Penelope's voice rang out from the door, pulling them from the newspaper they had been reading and mocking; a statement from Fudge, announcing his immediate resignation.</p><p>"Penny," Percy said, holding his wand out as he spoke loud enough to be heard through the closed door. "What did I tell you before the Yule Ball in 1994?"</p><p>The woman laughed lightly, only heard by the man beside her. "We were talking about your relationship with Lara. You told me that one day, you'd marry her."</p><p>Percy flushed under the amazed gaze of his girlfriend, his wand lowering slightly. "Oliver, what happened after our first Defence Against the Dark Arts class?"</p><p>The man sighed and shook his head. "You know full well what happened, Weasley. Peeves pelted me with ink bottles and wrecked my new bag!"</p><p>Percy nodded to himself and allowed them both in, pulling Oliver into a quick embrace as the two women did the same.</p><p>"What's happened, guys?"</p><p>"He's back - You-Know-Who. We need to be prepared, and we can't do that if we're hiding."</p><p>"You want to join the Order? Dumbledore visited to ask us, but we didn't agree. He keeps too much from everyone - that kind of thing isn't safe when we're risking our lives for him on the daily."</p><p>"Not the Order," Percy denied with a shake of his head. "Something new. Something where things aren't being hidden from us."</p><p>"You can't exactly create a new faction, Percy," Penny sighed. "You need more than four people. We don't know anything."</p><p>Lara smiled as she entered the room, four mugs of steaming tea hovering in front of her. "Well, we have one spy in the Ministry. Remember what happened in the first war?"</p><p>When the three shook their heads, she began to explain. Being the History buff of the group, she had done a lot of research in the past few months as preparation, as well as out of interest. "One of the biggest things was the anti-muggle ideology. Muggles were slaughtered. Muggleborn witches and wizards were captured and tortured and killed. The Ministry had been infiltrated, and there wasn't a whole lot they could do even if they cared enough to act. Known supporters of Dumbledore were killed and left there to make a statement. That's going to happen again, you know - might not be for months, but it's exactly what's going to happen - it's just a matter of time. They're starting slow again - small attacks on muggles that can be passed off as natural disasters, small raids in Diagon Alley, but soon that's not going to be enough."</p><p>"So what can we do?" Penny's voice was shaky; her father was a muggle, and while her mother was a pureblood, she was terrified for them both, for her friends; Lara was a muggleborn, Percy was from a well known family of blood traitors. They'd be the first to be targeted.</p><p>"Percy's gonna keep a low profile in the Ministry, see what he can find out. It's pretty well known that he isn't on good terms with his family, so they won't be suspicious of him. What we need is supporters - people who can be trusted to help. We need safe spaces, houses across the country. We need allies in other countries, a place to send people who are at the top of the list."</p><p>"Right, we can help with supporters - I'll owl a couple friends from Puddlemere. D'you reckon Charlie'd help, Perce?"</p><p>The boy thought for a moment before giving a nod. "Yeah, I bet he would. Lara and I could go visit next weekend if I get it off."</p><p>"Perfect, we're getting on with it - no time to waste."</p><p>As Oliver spoke, Percy's eyes widened. A sudden realisation hitting him.</p><p>"No time to waste," he mumbled, barely heard.</p><p>"Percy?"</p><p>"Marry me." </p><p>Lara frowned at him, confused and more than a little concerned. "Perce - what?"</p><p>The man shook his head erratically, a hand running through his hair, already messy from a morning in bed. "Now. Today. Marry me?"</p><p> </p><p>Penny glanced at the man beside her and nudged him lightly in the ribs. "Uh, d'you think we should go?"</p><p>"Nah, I wanna see what happens. Five galleons she says no." The warm grin on his face took the heat from his words, as did the crossed fingers of his left hand.</p><p>Lara stared at the man sat beside her, eyes filled with confusion and more than a little worry. "Percy, it's nine in the morning. It's Saturday. What about your family?"</p><p>Percy frowned back at her. "What about my family? If I'm going to be infiltrating the Ministry, I can't build bridges with them for a long time - not until the war's over. That could be years. I don't want to wait that long. We can elope. Vegas wedding."</p><p>Lara snorted, rolling her eyes. "Yeah, you can tell your mum, then."</p><p>"Yeah?"</p><p>"Yeah." Her smile was gentle, eyes warm as she looked at him, her hands grasping his as if they were the only thing holding her in place. "We're having a long holiday after all of this is over, though."</p><p>Percy lunged forward, face lighting up as he pressed his lips against hers with an unusual urgency, hands grasping gently at her waist, her own moving to rest in the knotted curls atop his head.</p><p>Oliver coughed lightly, his face amused as they pulled apart with flushed faces and bright eyes. "We'll be witnesses."</p><p>The two smiled at one another before Penny laughed lightly, rolling her eyes fondly. "Okay then, you two get it over with. We'll meet you here in an hour with a portkey."</p><p>The wedding wasn't glamorous or romantic or even planned. <br/>The venue was busy, a line of drunken couples in front and behind them. The room smelled like stale alcohol and cigarette smoke. The officiant was swaying slightly, slurring his words more than slightly, eyes glazed.</p><p>But as the group of four left the venue and walked down the busy streets, laughing and joking, they couldn't think of anything more perfect.</p>
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<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Chapter 26</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Unfortunately, it wasn't until a month later that the planned trip to Romania became possible. </p><p>Percy and Lara had spent the night before packing enough for two days just to be sure that they would be prepared for anything going wrong. Percy, in particular, had been rather anal about making sure everything was going to plan. He had spent the whole night without sleep creating a schedule to the minute for how their weekend was to go.</p><p>"Ready?" Lara asked gently as they passed the anti-apparition wards that Percy had erected a couple of weeks before.</p><p>The man glanced around subtly, double checking that they had everything they needed before giving a nod. "Ready."</p><p>Percy twisted as they clasped their hands together, thinking fiercely of the exact place he wanted them to appear.</p><p>Lara let out a sigh of relief as their feet met solid ground. She had never felt particularly strongly about the method of travel, but in addition to the usual morning-midday-evening sickness, she could've done without the dizzy, unsteady feeling that side along apparition always left her with.</p><p>Percy reached into his pocket, pulling out a stomach soothing potion and passing it to her without comment, his face a picture of concern as he looked her over with worried eyes. He had been keeping a spare vial in his pocket lately for these exact occasions.</p><p>"Thanks, Perce."</p><p>"This is a bad idea," he murmured, sighing deeply, glove-covered hand brushing against the slight bump of her stomach, only just beginning to appear, unnoticeable unless you were looking. "You shouldn't be here."</p><p>Lara shot him a glare, cowing him almost immediately. "Stuff it, Weasley."</p><p>"No," Percy teased back, beginning to lose the sullen frown. "you stuff it, Weasley."</p><p>"So immature," the woman huffed, nudging him lightly as she neatened the scarf tied around his neck, shivering in the cold November snow. "C'mon, let's go see your brother."</p><p> </p><p>Fortunately, it seemed that they had arrived at just the right time, as they walked up to the huge gates right as a familiar red head passed by on the other side.</p><p>"Oi, Weasley!" Lara called, smiling when he turned around and approached, his wary expression becoming stony when he caught sight of Percy. "Can we talk? Urgently?"</p><p>Charlie appeared to be considering telling them to bugger off and getting on with his day, but he let out a heavy sigh, placing his palm against the gate, unlocking it. "What do you want?"</p><p>Percy shook his head, serious eyes scanning the immediate vicinity. "Somewhere private. We can't be out in the open."</p><p>"Aww," Lara complained, her face innocent. "I wanna ride a dragon, though." She fell silent at the look on Percy's face, though she didn’t lose the smirk that curled her lips.</p><p>Charlie rolled his eyes, leading them back to his hut. It was a small building in the back corner of the sanctuary away from any prying eyes. "So?"</p><p>Percy began as Lara raised her wand, checking and raising new privacy wards. "We need help."</p><p>"Why should I help you?" His older brother asked bluntly. "After what you said to Dad? After you disowned the family?"</p><p>"Because he had to," Lara explained quietly, seeing that Percy had gone pale and turned his attention to his hands. "I can't tell you the details for our safety unless you agree, but if Percy hadn't left, he and your family would be in a huge amount of danger."</p><p>"Because," Percy said as he shook his head. "This isn't about you. Or me. Or our family. This is about an opportunity to save hundreds, thousands of innocent people from being captured and killed."</p><p>Percy glanced around the room, taking stock of the personal items on show, of the scorch marks that covered a tatty blanket. "I won't lie. We don't need you."</p><p>Lara jumped in quickly, interrupting when she saw the look Charlie threw his brother. "Sure, that's true. Your involvement isn't the difference between life and death, but what it is is the difference between how easy it is. Maybe it isn't life or death, but...we need all the help we can get."</p><p>"What do you need?" Charlie asked with a sigh.</p><p>"For you to keep my involvement secret," Percy said, voice low and eyes lower.</p><p>"Why?"</p><p>Lara's eyes narrowed. "Because that is life or death. Percy's life or death."</p><p>"What in Merlin's name have you gotten yourselves into?" Charlie sighed deeply. Percy was the strict, quiet one. The sod had never even had a detention, he was sure. Why in the name of Merlin had he gotten stuck in something that could get him killed? Wasn't he supposed to be the responsible one?</p><p>Percy chuckled lightly, the sound slightly dark. "Just treason."</p><p>When nobody laughed with the Dragon Keeper, he paused, something dawning on him, realising that Percy was being deadly serious. "You're joking."</p><p>"Nope." Lara sighed heavily.</p><p>"What do you need?" </p><p>Lara explained, being the most knowledgeable on the subject. "In the first wizarding war, You-Know-Who first started with attacking muggles. People who couldn't fight back. He knew they were weaker and used that to his advantage as he gained support. He quickly jumped from that to the weaker links within the wizarding world. He promised werewolves and other half-breeds freedom, ensuring their support. Then, he turned to full-blooded wizards and witches. The next apparent weak link was the muggleborns, but naturally he wouldn't have them within his ranks; they were a huge part of what he was fighting against, as well as what he was using to gain support. He infiltrated the Ministry and used their knowledge to find and turn on the muggleborns, attacking, kidnapping, torturing and murdering. After this, he rose up to those who opposed him."</p><p>Percy continued for her. "It appears that the same thing is happening. We're currently on the first step of his plan; muggles. In the past four months, he has done two things. Hide his existence from the wizarding world, and begin the attacks on the muggles. So far, there has been two large-scale attacks, both of which have been reported as natural disasters. Both of them gas explosions. Now, that doesn't seem too convincing, does it?"</p><p>Lara smiled her agreement, adding onto his point. "But, not only have two large scale attacks been actioned, but also at least a dozen isolated attacks. These have been both kidnappings and murders, and before all of which, at least one suspected supporter has been noticed close to the scene. Maybe it's coincidence, maybe not."</p><p>"Right," Charlie sighed quietly, eyes sad. "But what can I do?"</p><p>"Well," Lara began slowly. "We have plans for all of the stages. I can't tell you any details of course, you understand. There's not a lot we can do about the muggles at the moment without raising suspicion, and we don't have a spy on their side, unfortunately. We have people looking out for suspected Death Eaters, though, but there's not a lot we can do other than that."</p><p>Percy gave a sober nod. "The second stage, though...we have spies within the Ministry. Infiltrate them first."</p><p>Percy noticed as a sudden light of realisation appeared in Charlie's eyes, and he gave a slight almost invisible nod of confirmation that made his older brother's eyes widen in bemusement. "We will know the second he starts. We have lists of muggleborns, as well as plans for those likely to be targeted first. We have been recruiting teams, and we can't give the details, but we need safe spaces. Preferably abroad."</p><p>"We need you," Lara said. "Because Romania is the perfect place. Who'd expect us to send them here? Not to a dragon sanctuary, of course, but Romania. We were wondering if you had any links or ideas of places we could check and set up."</p><p>Charlie gave a quick nod. "I know a few people I could ask. I want to help, I'll do what I can. I'll send out a few owls."</p><p>The two thanked him quietly.</p><p>"Perce," Lara said suddenly. "Let Olly and Pen know we're good here before they break in. Tell them to go ahead with the next step."</p><p>As Percy made himself busy pulling the linked mirror from his bag, Lara gave Charlie a look and gestured towards the far corner of the room.</p><p>As soon as they were a few metres away from Percy, she set up a small muffling bubble around them and turned to his older brother. "Look, I know you can't tell your family about this, and I know how mad everyone is, but you need to know - there is nothing else that can be done without putting Percy in danger. I know that what he said when he left hurt everyone, despite it not being true, I know that won't change it...but you know the truth now. And I just want to let you know that if you even think about insinuating, let alone saying that Percy didn't sacrifice anything for the cause...well, let's say you'll regret being born."</p><p>Charlie gave a quick nod, freckles standing out against his unusually pale face.</p><p>"Perfect."</p><p>She smiled as she undid the silencing charm and approached her husband once more, smiling as he shot her a narrow eyed look, obviously not unaware of what she had been doing. "So, all we ask is that you make a vow not to share anything we have spoken of."</p><p>The Dragon Keeper smiled wearily and handed his wand to his brother without a word. His eyes drew to the gold ring on his finger, eyes widening infinitesimally as he realised exactly what it was.</p><p>Catching the movement, Percy chuckled lightly and they completed the vow.</p><p>"The hell, Percy?! Married?! To who?"</p><p>Lara smiled proudly at the man. "Me."</p><p>"Since when?"</p><p>"Just over a month, now."</p><p>Charlie shook his head mockingly. "As if you got married before the rest of us...and didn't tell anyone."</p><p>"How d'you know we didn't tell anyone?" Lara leaned back in the over-stuffed sofa, smirk firmly in place. He recognised the mischievous expression from their overlapping years at Hogwarts.</p><p>"Did you?"</p><p>"Do Oliver and Penny count?" Percy asked hopefully.</p>
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<a name="section0027"><h2>27. Chapter 27</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Oliver let out a tired sigh as he and Penny fell onto the sofa they had claimed as their own, taking a glass of butterbeer each. He grinned at the tea Lara was sipping on but didn't comment. "Connor's in. So are a few others on our list. We just need to get the last four."</p><p>He placed the roll of parchment onto the table, a silent tap of his wand changing it from a Transfiguration essay to a list of names and locations. All but four were crossed off, three of them in red ink showing that they had opted not to join. So they had almost fourteen prepared to join, not including them. That was a good start, enough for the moment.</p><p>With a week to go until Christmas, they were making good time. No major attacks had occurred, and they were sure that the Death Eaters and their leader were taking advantage of the current discord.</p><p>Percy nodded. "That's great. We've got Charlie on our side. He's sent out letters to a few acquaintances. He's received four back with acceptances to allow us to have them collect the runaways from the portkey point. One of them has sent him a list of low cost properties that can be converted. That's just upstairs in the office."</p><p>The office upstairs was a second room containing a desk, chair and multiple piles of folders either for the ministry or containing the rebellion plans. Both were in obviously different colours so there was no risk of anything being mixed. Of course, Lara and Percy were planning on making a start converting it to a bedroom soon, but they had a few months to go, and between both of their jobs and being on the brink of war, there wasn’t a huge amount of free time.</p><p>"So we're on track," Lara said with a small smile. Percy noticed the look on her face and gave a nod of encouragement. "Enough shop talk, then. How's training going, Olly?"</p><p>The man grinned. "Great! Leo's planning on retiring at the end of next season, so there's gonna be an opening." He leaned back into the comfortable cushions, one arm stretching across the back of the sofa, over Penelope's shoulders, casually.</p><p>The group congratulated him cheerfully, faces brightening at the happy distraction from what was a slightly nerve racking topic.</p><p>"That's brilliant," Lara said, placing her coffee mug on the table with purpose. "As long as you have time to balance it with your godfather duties."</p><p>Oliver choked on his drink, eyes bulging as he fought to keep the liquid in his mouth. "Sorry?"</p><p>Percy shot him a look, rolling his eyes and trying to hide the smile he felt twisting his lips, the warmth in his chest. "What? Didn't you expect it?"</p><p>The Puddlemere player gave a slight shrug. "Never thought about it. Really?"</p><p>Percy nodded. "Obviously. Penny's godmother, of course."</p><p>The woman gave a firm nod, a smile on her lips from where she was curled up beside Oliver, Iggy lounging on the back of the chair behind her.</p><p>"I'm gonna spoil them," Oliver decided instantly. "I'm gonna be the best godfather, like, ever! I'll buy them their first broom!"</p><p>Lara laughed lightly, having expected an answer like that from the Quidditch obsessed man. She knew that he was the perfect choice, knew that he would love and protect their child if they couldn't, which-</p><p>"That means if we...if we don't make it through this-" she cut herself off as Percy linked their fingers together.</p><p>"We'll be there," Penny said quietly, her voice deadly serious. More serious than the others had heard in a while.</p><p>They all fell into a tense silence as they thought of the ramifications that could come with leaving their child an orphan.</p><p>"This isn't right," Lara whispered.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>Lara leaned back against the sofa, sinking into the cushions with a heavy sigh. "We're nineteen. We shouldn't be making plans for what happens if we die. It's just- it's not right."</p><p>"I know," Percy murmured, voice heard in the quiet. "But that's what we've been given, so we have to work with it. And we will. I mean, we have to, don't we?"</p><p>"We can think about that later," Penelope decided firmly. "For now, let's celebrate, eh? I'll go and pick up some food. What does everyone fancy?"</p><p>She returned half an hour later with bags full of strong smelling curries, passing them out still in the polystyrene containers instead of grabbing fresh plates from the kitchen. 

For once, as they sat in the living room, the fire roaring, Iggy sleeping, crumpled paper and plastic containers littering the table in front of them, they felt like normal teenagers.</p><p> </p><p>Lara and Percy sat cross legged on their bed an hour later, poring over books as was reminiscent of studying for their NEWTs a couple of years before. "Kara?"</p><p>Lara shot her husband a raised eyebrow, showing her precise feelings as she flipped to the next page of her own book.</p><p>"I'll take that as a no," he said as he dipped his quill in a pot of ink and crossed the name out of the book.</p><p>"Katie?"</p><p>"Cute, maybe." Lara turned a page while Percy wrote the name at the bottom of a very short list of names. "Oliver?"</p><p>Percy snorted. "No chance, his ego's big enough as is! Maybe as a middle name, though. Lucille? Lucy?"</p><p>Lara smiled slightly. "That's really sweet, actually."</p><p>"Percival?"</p><p>"Yeah? Oh, no." The man gave a resolute shake of his head, obviously not liking the name suggestion.</p><p>"What's wrong with it? It's cute."</p><p>Percy shook his head again. "No naming kids after their parents. They shouldn't feel like they need to live up to anything."</p><p>The woman smiled softly at him, leaning over her slightly engorged stomach to press a light kiss to the corner of his mouth. Iggy let out a quiet sound of protest as her hand left his fur.</p><p>"Feels real now, doesn't it?" Percy asked, mind elsewhere, a slight smile on his lips.</p><p>"Good real or bad real?" </p><p>He shrugged. "Good real, just...odd, you know?"</p><p>Lara nodded her agreement, smiling back at him as she ran her hands through Iggy's soft fur.</p><p>"So, we have Alice, Grace, Katie, Lucille and Lucy at the moment."</p><p>Lara nodded her head. "And on my side, we have Adrian, Alex, Gideon, Milo and Owen."</p><p>"Alexander Weasley," Lara murmured thoughtfully. "Alexander Oliver."</p><p>"That sounds perfect," the man whispered, feeling the need to be quiet. </p><p>They smiled at one another, eyes bright and filled with warmth.</p><p>"And if they're a girl?"</p><p>"I like Grace," Percy said, slight smile on his lips, one hand reaching forward to link their fingers together, resting gently on the bed between them.</p><p>"Grace Lucille?" Lara suggested gently, eyes running down the list they had made.</p><p>"No, Grace Lucy," Percy said quietly, his face open and full of awe for something that wasn't yet there. "Grace Lucy Weasley."</p>
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<a name="section0028"><h2>28. Chapter 28</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Merlin Percy," Lara said with a teasing eye roll. "Are you trying to paint the walls, or yourself?"</p><p>The man shot her an unamused glare, though it was made less effective by the yellow paint that was dotted across his cheeks. "Oh yeah? And what about you? I can't imagine that you have been doing brilliantly setting up the cot."</p><p>Lara laughed at him. "I'm doing good, actually. It came with instructions. It's fully made just in the living room. I came to see if you needed a hand, but-"</p><p>"Please," Percy pleaded, looking at the pale yellow walls around him. "I'm no good at this."</p><p>The two had been juggling working with the rebellion, Percy's work with the Ministry, Lara's occasional contracted work in Egypt, and preparing for a baby, and the last one had been put to the bottom of the list for a while. They had finally managed to get a weekend off at the same time, and had been spending it setting up the bedroom.</p><p>"Sure. Have you got a spare roller?"</p><p>Percy shook his head, muttering a spell and duplicating the object before passing it to the woman. </p><p>It was Christmas Eve, and after a long day of painting and decorating and building, Percy had been called to the Ministry after some sort of issue with security. He had let out a faint sigh, scrubbing at the paint that covered his cheeks and forehead, scratching at a dried piece in the corner of his glasses lens and disapparated with an exchanged eye roll with Lara, who continued with pushing the cot into the corner, mattress and small quilt already tucked neatly inside.</p><p>Lara had spent the evening reading quietly, taking notes of different runes she recognised from the last tomb visit and trying to figure out the best ways to deactivate each one without triggering another. </p><p>She heard a knock at the door and was quick to jump up, raising her wand. "Who is it?"</p><p>"Charlie Weasley." She frowned, recognising the voice. But what was Charlie there? He was supposed to be at The Burrow with Mr Weasley, who was still recovering after the attack a few weeks before.</p><p>"What did I tell you under the silencing charm?" The house had been surrounded by blood wards, allowing only Percy and Lara to enter and open the doors. It was useful, keeping them safe.</p><p>"That I'd regret being born if I said anything to Percy."</p><p>She gave a resolute nod, opening the door and pulling him in, glancing suspiciously up and down the street before closing and locking the door behind him.</p><p>"Is he okay?" She asked before the man had even taken his coat off and hung it on the stand.</p><p>Charlie sighed heavily, following her through to the living room and collapsing tiredly onto the sofa. "He's okay. I needed to slip out - Mum's crying because Percy sent the jumper back. Everyone's cursing and yelling about him. I couldn't-"</p><p>Lara shook her head slightly. "I hate this. So much. Maybe-"</p><p>"No," Charlie said, his voice stern in a way that she wasn't used to; Charlie was the lighthearted one within the Weasley family, and it warmed her heart that he had put that aside for his brother. "You know that can't happen. Not yet. Just...just talk to him, yeah? Help him. I can't stay long, they'll notice."</p><p>"Thanks Charlie," Lara murmured. "I do really appreciate it. Thanks for not joining in."</p><p>The man grinned slightly. "I couldn't. I know what's going on. They don't."</p><p>"That's not an excuse."</p><p>"I know," he said, slapping his thigs and announcing that he needed to get back before his disappearance was noticed. He shot her a grin. "Congrats, by the way."</p><p>They both looked down at her stomach, protruding obviously through the baggy yellow paint-covered t-shirt she was wearing. It had belonged to Percy only a few months ago, but had been stolen. </p><p>"Thanks Charlie."</p><p>"When's it due?"</p><p>Lara smiled. "End of April. Gonna be a girl."</p><p>"Thought of a name?"</p><p>She nodded but didn't give him an answer. "We have, keeping it quiet for now."</p><p>Charlie's face became serious, something in his eyes appearing. "How's he coping?"</p><p>Lara thought about her answer. He seemed happy, excited even. But at the same time, he wasn't sleeping well, snapping easily, shooting her worried glances. When Mr Weasley had been attacked, he had made himself ill with worry, terrified that his father would die thinking he hated him. "There's good and bad days. He- he misses being home. He hates it so much."</p><p>The Dragon Rider nodded, placing a scarred hand on her arm in a semblance of comfort. "I'll see what I can do back there, try to get him out."</p><p>"Thank you, Charlie."</p><p>"Send me a note, yeah? That's my niece." Charlie's smile was bright, pulling a grin from her.</p><p>"Will do."</p><p> </p><p>She watched as he passed the wards at the end of the drive and disapparated with a dull crack.</p><p> </p><p>When Percy arrived home, Lara was standing in the hall waiting for him. She held her arms out, pulling him into a tight hug, a soft smile on her lips. Her heart lurched at the weary expression on his face.</p><p>"You alright?"</p><p>"Yeah," Lara agreed quietly. "Bath's run for you upstairs."</p><p>Percy smiled weakly, pressing a light kiss to her forehead as he passed and headed up the stairs, the third step creaking lightly as he did so.</p><p>He returned half an hour later, skin pink from the heat and looking much more relaxed than before. He shot her a small smile as he sat beside her, Iggy jumping into his lap almost instantly. He pulled the chain from around his neck, undoing it and pulling the gold ring off it, putting it onto his finger and smiling at the familiar pressure.</p><p>"Almost forgot that," he admitted quietly. "Had to take a detour on the way in so I could hide it."</p><p>"What a way to tell everyone," Lara joked lightly, raising her hands and gently pulling off his glasses, folding them and placing them on the table, her thumb brushing lightly against his cheekbone as she pressed a soft kiss to his throat before leaning her head on his shoulder comfortably.</p><p>"How can you cope?" Percy asked suddenly, his eyes fixed on the blurry radio in the corner, playing Celistina Warbeck, her shrieking voice filling the room. "Not being in contact with your parents?" The question had obviously been on his mind for a while.</p><p>Lara thought for a while before speaking. "I think it's different Perce...I wasn't raised like you, you know? I never had a big family. My parents were never around, and when they were it was only for a few minutes at a time, making sure I was reading or doing homework. I guess I just...got used to it." She paused for a minute before continuing. "Still, despite that, I take some comfort in knowing they aren't connected to this world anymore and are as safe as anyone else."</p><p>Percy gave a small nod, putting on a brave face as he scratched behind Iggy's ears absentmindedly. His other hand found Lara's, locking together as he brushed his thumb against her stomach and closed his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>"Mer-ry Christmas!" Lara called cheerfully as she opened the front door to the two nineteen year olds.</p><p>Penny was the first to enter, pulling off her scarf and hat with a smile as she slung them over the coat stand. Her cheeks and nose were red from the icy air outside, blonde hair mussed up from wearing the woolly hat. "Hey, Lara, where's Perce?"</p><p>Lara gestured into the kitchen. "Cooking. Apparently, after last year, I'm banned from touching the turkey."</p><p>The house smelled like cinnamon and roasted apples, and they were at home. A small Christas tree stood in the corner of the living room, glistening silver and gold ornaments hanging from each branch, a few wrapped presents tucked under it, slight holes in the sides where Iggy had gotten to them before Lara had cast protective charms upon them.</p><p>"Good choice," Oliver called through to the man. "Sorry, Lara, but it was awful!"</p><p>"Hey! Pick on the pregnant woman, huh?" She laughed, a roll of her eyes taking the heat from the mocking statement as she leaned forward to take a sip of her tea. "Willow, Light, Fox and CJ are gonna be coming up any minute."</p><p>Percy smiled at her from the doorway to the kitchen, their gazes locking as they realized that they were creating their own family. Maybe things weren’t too bad.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0029"><h2>29. Chapter 29</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Perce?" Lara asked gently, turning onto her side to look at the man beside her. "What's wrong?"</p><p>She knew he hadn't been sleeping, could tell by the growing grey bags beneath his dark eyes, but until now she hadn't been able to get him to talk about what it was that was bothering him so much.</p><p>It was still early in the night, but she had dragged him up to bed in an attempt to make him sleep. It hadn’t worked, and they had been lay talking in murmurs.</p><p>"Nothing." He smiled slightly, but she knew him well enough to know that it wasn't genuine.</p><p>Lara raised an eyebrow and could see as the walls he had built collapsed almost instantly. She had always been able to do that.</p><p>He sighed lightly. "I'm just- what if we die, Lara? What if she's left alone? What if she doesn't remember us?"</p><p>"We can't think like that, Percy. I know you worry, I do too. So much. But I do know that if that happens...if we don't live through this, Oliver and Penelope will be there for her. They'll make sure she remembers us. They'll be good to her. For us." Lara sighed faintly, her hand moving to enter twine with his under the cover, her thumb rubbing light circles.</p><p>"I know..." The man gave a slight nod.</p><p>"That's not everything, is it?"</p><p>Percy shook his head, eyes downcast. "What if I'm not good enough? What if I'm a bad parent? What if she hates me?"</p><p>"Why would you not be good enough?" Lara asked, confused. She couldn't think of anything at all that might suggest that Percy would be struggling with that.</p><p>"I'm not good with feelings, you know that. I'm too...cold."</p><p>Lara snorted lightly. "Perce, you're an idiot."</p><p>She thought of the way he held her at night, warm hands softly caressing her skin, hot lips pressing against her own, fingers intertwined, legs tangled together, and wondered how the hell he thought he was 'too cold'.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"You could never be too cold. You're not the best with emotions, sure, but why should that matter?"</p><p>Percy frowned, not speaking, and Lara stretched before rising up, grabbing his arm and dragging him from the room. He was confused for a moment until he stood in the middle of the light yellow room, hand clasped around his wife's.</p><p>"Weasley, you are too kind, too warm, too loving." She sighed sadly. "I know you, Percy. I know that you're scared, hell, you're bloody terrified, but just look around this room. Tell me about it."</p><p>The man shot her a confused look, but did as she said, his eyes roaming around the room, eyes catching on the pale walls, slightly patchy in areas, the grey fabric bunting Lara had found in a muggle shop and loved, the white wooden cot in the corner, the changing table, the fluffy white rug on the floor, and he smiled. </p><p>Lara grinned. "See? You love this baby already, don't you?"</p><p>"But what if I need help? I don't-"</p><p>"We have friends, Perce...and I know that it isn't the same as your parents, but..."</p><p>She wasn't given the chance to continue, as a silvery owl appeared in front of them, it's beak opening as it spoke in Penelope's light voice, slightly shrill with fear. "Attack on Oldpass! We need help! One team should be enough."</p><p>Percy picked up his wand, casting multiple Patroni as he sent them off to the different members of the group before finally turning to his wife, giving her a light peck on the lips, brushing his thumb over her stomach and disapparating.</p><p>He arrived in Hogsmeade, performing a few quick disguise charms to his face and hair before disapparating once more.</p><p>He arrived in the middle of a nasty battle, and instantly headed for the loch, where they were to meet to be portkeyed back to the house, where Lara was waiting with medical supplies. He knew that the others could handle the fighting, knew that if he were to be caught and identified, it would put the whole plan in jeopardy, but he hated that he was stuck off to the side, hoping and waiting for everyone to meet up.</p><p>Lara felt ill, waiting in the cottage, safe, for everyone to appear. She made herself busy, pulling out potions from the medicine cupboard, grabbing towels and everything that she thought might help.</p><p>They arrived only fifteen minutes later, a small crowd of people entering the house, muttering their specific code as they did so, slumping into the couches or the floor, some of them dragging chairs in from the kitchen. Percy appeared only a moment later, Penelope and Oliver with him. Percy's face was pale as he supported a limping Oliver, half-carrying him through the door and helping him into a suddenly empty space on the comfortable couch.</p><p>He was quick to grab the correct potions, his wand twisting as he wrapped a bandage tightly around the deep wound in the man's calf. Penelope, despite being the only trained Healer in the group, stood to the side and watched quietly as her friend took over.</p><p>Percy’s face was a picture full of concern for his best friend as he repeatedly checked that he was okay, that he wasn't in too much pain.</p><p>Yeah, Lara though to herself with an eye roll, Percy was cold. She really believed that.</p><p>The group sat in the living room well into the night, recovering and talking quietly and making dark jokes that dragged surprised laughter from each other until they fell asleep one by one, filling the room with a mixture of soft and loud snores.</p><p>Percy smiled at the sleeping Lara beside him, Iggy curled up beside her head, as he pulled out a piece of parchment from the bedside table and began to write. 'Dear Dad...'</p><p>He wrote about everything he wanted to say.<br/>How he was, and would always be loyal to the family. <br/>How he hated himself for hurting them all.<br/>How he had married Lara and started a rebellion. <br/>How he was going to have a baby in less then two months. <br/>How he was scared and exited and terrified. <br/>How he didn't feel ready, but how much he wanted the little girl.</p><p>'Love, Percy'. He signed his name at the bottom in his usual almost indecipherable scribble and capped the pot of ink, performing a drying charm on the parchment and folding it up. </p><p>He tucked it into the box under his bed and rolled to the side, closing his eyes and hoping that sleep would come easy.</p>
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<a name="section0030"><h2>30. Chapter 30</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Merlin's saggy left testicle, Oliver," Lara sighed as she entered the kitchen to see two men standing nervously beside the dinner table. "How the hell did you manage to turn Flint?"</p><p>She glanced between them, at the former Slytherin and self-proclaimed Death Eater, and back to their unofficial second-in-command. She knew that Oliver wouldn't ever think of bringing someone who wished them harm back to base; not that the wards would allow it, anyway. She knew how protective he was of her and Percy, and now the soon-to-be baby, knew that he would die before putting any of them in even the slightest amount of danger. He wouldn’t take advantage of his ability to enter the cottage, so the only reason for a Death Eater to be in their house was obvious.</p><p>Oliver flushed slightly. "Long story. Short story is, Marcus doesn't support them - he only joined to protect his sister. He wants to help. He's able to spy."</p><p>Lara looked at Flint, at the way he avoided her eyes, his head down low. "Would you be prepared to make a vow? That you won't double-cross us."</p><p>Iggy was sat on the counter, licking his paw, and nothing suggested that he was wary of the man in front of them. That soothed Lara a little; Kneazles were well renowned for rooting out the more unsavoury and deceitful characters, and he hadn't failed her yet.</p><p>"Yes. Just..." he sighed lightly, a defeated sound she hadn't heard from him in seven whole years of Hogwarts. "My sister and mother. I know they can't run or it'd ruin everything. They’d be found and killed. Is there a way to keep them safe?"</p><p>"We could find a way. We'd have to talk with the rest of the group, but I bet we could get a sort of protective detail, and set up a safe space." She turned to look at Oliver, shooting a narrow eyed glare. "Percy's going to kill you, Oliver."</p><p> </p><p>As expected, once Percy had returned home from work to find a Death Eater sitting on his couch, drinking tea with his wife and best friend, he had ripped Oliver a new one before securing a vow from Flint that allowed no loopholes to be found.</p><p>"So, what do you know?" Percy asked as they sat down on the couch. Lara was perched beside him, her legs crossed and nose in a book as she twirled her wand, flicking it and muttering at something she held in her hand. He passed it off as the usual Lara antics, narrowed eyes fixed on the two men sat on the other couch.</p><p>Oliver shifted guiltily. Percy decided to let him sweat for a little longer before letting him off the hook. After all, he was going home to Penelope, who would do much worse than any of them could.</p><p>Flint sighed quietly. "Not a whole lot. He's very secretive at the moment, believes that there's a spy in his midst after the raid went wrong at that little town near Hogwarts. We've already been interrogated, so he believes it to be someone else. He keeps meeting with the Malfoy family and Professor Snape, but I haven't been able to find out anything about it. I do know, though, that there's another raid planned. We don't know when or where until we're called."</p><p>Percy nodded, understanding. It made sense, stop any leaks from occurring. "Right."</p><p>Lara looked up from where she had been poring over a chain and three small crystals, passing the crystals to Flint. "Give one of these to your mother and sister. The other one's for you. They have a trigger to bring you here if you're knocked unconscious for more than one minute, or if you tap it with your wand. They're one use only, though. Emergencies only."</p><p>"Thank you," Flint murmured, quieter than he had been in hours. He obviously wasn't used to being treated with kindness outside of his mother and sister, and it made Lara wonder whether that was a common theme amongst the Dark Lord's followers. Still, she couldn't go feeling sorry for them all; they were still murdering innocent people, and so didn't deserve her pity. If Flint, of all people, could leave...well, it was possible.</p><p>She then passed him the chain. "It's pretty similar to linked mirrors. Percy and I have one, too. If you tap it with your wand, you'll be connected to us, and anything you say will be repeated with ours, so we can hear it."</p><p>He gave a nod, latching the cool silver against his wrist.</p><p> </p><p>Lara turned to Percy as they sat alone that night. Empty plates sat on the table in front of them. She was lay across the couch, her head against his shoulder, and her legs hanging over the cushioned arm, swinging idly along to the Weird Sisters vinyl they had turned on. "What d'you think?"</p><p>"About Flint?" He asked, knowing what she was asking but wanting the extra few seconds to order his thoughts.</p><p>"Yeah."</p><p>Percy thought for a moment, planning each word carefully. "I don't trust him. Not- he's took a vow, there's no way to break it without losing his magic. He's...he's definitely turned on their side, but...I don't know, I wouldn't leave him alone in a room with you."</p><p>Lara nodded, silently agreeing with the assessment. "It'll take time. But he's told us something already. They enact the raids the day they are told of them. That means they won't expect us to be there. We'll have that on our side."</p><p>"Yes. We do have that," Percy murmured, his fingers tapping gently against her arm as he thought. "I'm wondering, uh, them chains. What if we were to have one for everyone? It'd save a lot of time with the raids."</p><p>"That'd be useful. We'd have to keep Flint's only connected to our own, though. There's too many members. The risk'd be too big."</p><p>"How long would it take to make them? Could you show me how?"</p><p>Lara nodded, a slight upturn to her lips. "Yeah, tomorrow night?"</p><p>"Perfect." Percy leaned forward and smiled against her lips, eyes closing slowly as he felt all of the tension escaping his body almost in an instant.</p>
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<a name="section0031"><h2>31. Chapter 31</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Fox was the first to join them after Oliver and Penny.</p><p>A short woman with her cropped hair dyed a shocking shade of red, she was almost immediately underestimated when Penelope brought her through the door in late September, but still welcomed by the group who needed numbers in the moment. Percy and Lara had exchanged a subtle look when she had entered the cottage behind Oliver and Penny, but she had managed to prove herself again and again.</p><p>Dani Keith had been bitten by the werewolf Greyback as a child during the end of the first wizarding war, and had immediately volunteered to help when approached by Penelope, a family friend. As such, despite her short stature and innocent air, the scars that dipped across her face and arms showed how dangerous she could really be.</p><p>In the months since joining what the group had unofficially named ‘The Insurgence’, Fox had noticed a lot.</p><p>She had watched at first, as Percy and Oliver had brought in new members almost every day until finally, just after Christmas, the whole group had met up at the couple’s cottage and spent the night getting to know one another; something she hadn’t expected, but couldn’t deny had raised morale a lot.</p><p>She had watched as Percy had looked after Lara, ignoring the scathing glares she shot him when his mothering became arduous. She had watched as they shared smiles and laughs and gentle embraces, and felt lonely.</p><p>She had never been alone, had had a reasonably sized friend group throughout school, but as she sat in the same room as the married couple and watched the private exchanges between them, she had never felt so alone.</p><p>She had been there when Grace was born, sitting outside the hospital room well into the night while Percy, Oliver and Penelope were inside with Lara. She had been the first to look up when Percy had approached the large group (surrounded by a ward that kept them from being noticed by the muggles around them) and announced that the baby was a girl. She had found herself grinning unconsciously at the pure unadulterated glee on the man’s face as the group were pulled into the small room, barely able to move but all cheering and passing a sleeping Grace between them.</p><p> </p><p>The usually mild mannered woman smiled viciously, her eyes narrowed, as she entered the warm house after answering Percy's hissed security question. "Lupin was there. At the meeting."</p><p>"Lupin?" Lara asked slowly, patiently pulling her hair out of the baby’s reach and pressing a light kiss to the top of her head. "As in Professor Lupin?"</p><p>The scarred woman nodded her head, her lips curling. She had been a seventh year Hufflepuff when he had been teaching, and he had been her favourite professor; he was the only reason she had passed her NEWTs after so many subpar instructors. The idea that he was at the camp of his own free will was a huge betrayal to her after spending a year looking up to him, finding support in the fact that he was just like her, and had managed to achieve something.</p><p>Percy frowned. "It'd make sense, wouldn't it?"</p><p>Lara nodded, humming lightly. "It would."</p><p>"What?" Fox had never liked being left out, and she hated the look of slight understanding the married couple shared over Grace's head.</p><p>Percy looked at the werewolf, his expression soft in a way that it had never been before; at least, not while they had been in school. In the past few months, Fox had seen a lot of the true man,and struggled to understand the difference between the Percy she knew and the Percy she remembered. The change was positive, she decided as she noticed the loving smile he shot his daughter, only a couple of weeks old. "Lupin's a member of the Order. Headmaster Dumbledore probably has him doing the same as you."</p><p>"Can you be sure? I mean-"</p><p>Oliver cut in, voice firm, self-assured. "He wouldn't betray the light, Fox. I'm sure. I'd bet my life on it."</p><p>"So what do we do?" Fox asked, unsure, as she took a seat on the edge of the sofa, grimacing at the dirt that covered her skin and clothes; she needed to show that she was a 'real' werewolf, without a home or job, bitter and hating the light in order to be trusted by the others.</p><p>Lara thought for a moment, rocking Grace lightly as she fussed. "Make contact. It's too dangerous to you for him not to know. You'd be at too much risk if anything broke out."</p><p>Percy nodded his agreement. "I'll write a note for him. Would you be alright to pass it along, Fox?"</p><p>The woman gave a certain nod. "Yeah. Absolutely positive he can be trusted? King?" She had bonded a lot with the small family in the past couple of months, and the idea of them being hurt or worse because of someone she brought to them made her feel physically ill.</p><p>"Positive." Percy nodded, slight smile on his lips as he looked at her. "Relax, Fox. I'll go out for food. You okay with pizza? The usual orders?" He knew that she was probably starving after almost a week in the werewolf camp.</p><p>Fox smiled at him, accepting the offer as she began to lean back into the soft leather, closing her eyes lightly and allowing herself to breathe as she heard the sound of the door closing softly behind the man.</p><p>"Ah ah ah," Lara teased, shaking her head with a slight smile as she glared at the dirty clothes. "Go have a shower, Fox. We can tell you feel uncomfortable. I'll get some clothes out for you. They might be a little big."</p><p>"Thanks, Queen," the red head murmured, rising to her feet tiredly and making her way upstairs.</p><p>When she returned downstairs twenty minutes later, her hair no longer greasy, skin clean and smelling faintly of fresh strawberries, there was a small smile on her face. The sweater was comfortable and soft, jogging bottoms slightly too big, but warm enough to make her feel at home. "Thanks Queen, I really needed that."</p><p>She sunk back into the sofa, curling up and smiling at the mother and daughter on the other sofa.</p><p>Oliver leaned to the side, passing a pre-written note to her. The handwriting was unmistakeably Lara's scratchy scrawl. "Find a way to get this to him next time, yeah?"</p><p>"Yeah."</p><p>"Pepperoni for Fox," Percy began as he entered behind Penelope, handing out the boxes. "plain cheeses for Lara, Pen and I, and a vegetarian for Olly, the monster!"</p><p>Oliver protested loudly, his dark eyes wide. "Hey! It's a diet for next season! Gotta up my game!"</p><p> </p><p>Fox was nervous at the next meeting, when she sidled up to the man at the back of the group.</p><p>She had spent the night before with Lara and Percy, going over everything again and again until they were all positive that no matter how everything panned out, nobody would get hurt. Percy had been strictly against Lara having any part in it, but the woman had been quick to argue. As it was, Lara would be greeting their previous Defence Professor with backup hiding around the house.</p><p>Fox had pointed out that he had heightened senses, and would know they were there.</p><p>"Well, he'll know not to try anything," Percy had said decisively.</p><p>She had decided not to point out that Percy had been one of his most avid supporters only an hour before.</p><p> </p><p> She noticed the pained look that Lupin gained when their eyes met, and shot him the ghost of a smirk as she moved to stand beside him. She slipped a piece of ripped parchment into the pocket of his patched robes. He obviously felt it, if the slight frown he shot her was anything to go by.</p><p>She gave a slight nod, slipping away easily, and beginning to mix with the more feral members of the group.</p>
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<a name="section0032"><h2>32. Chapter 32</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Remus Lupin had been horrified when he had recognised one of his previous students at the Greyback meeting he had been infiltrating. He had spent hours pretending, saying and listening to the most horrific things, and yet the worst thing of all was seeing someone he had cared for, taught, turning to the dark side.</p><p>He had frowned as she moved cautiously towards him the day after the first meeting, standing beside him as she carefully tucked something into his pocket and disappeared towards a group of less than civilised werewolves.</p><p>With a sigh, he apparated to the given meeting point, looking around nervously. A voice in the back of his mind wondered why he hadn't told anyone about his planned trip. Sirius was going to murder him when he arrived back at Headquarters. </p><p>If he didn't arrive back at Headquarters, Sirius would bring him back to life, and then murder him.</p><p>He almost immediately recognised the woman standing there, and was surprised that the red haired werewolf wasn't with her. He felt nauseous at the idea of students he had taught and looked out for, turning to the dark side.</p><p>"Lara Grey," he said as he approached, noticing how she was careful not to move too quickly. Was it caution or fear? He felt like there was something huge that he was missing. This was two students so far, who may or may not be leading him into a trap. "What's this all about?"</p><p>The woman smiled slightly, and it didn't pass him that she had opted not to answer his question. "Hi Professor. I can't talk here. Come on."</p><p>He followed her cautiously down the road and into a dark building at the back of an alleyway, its door almost hidden in the shadows, watching carefully as she would subtly look around and back every so often, but not enough so to look suspicious to outsiders; she had practice, and that worried him.</p><p>Lara turned and noticed the bemusement on his face and smiled. "Sorry about this, Sir. Gotta be careful in these times, you know?"</p><p>Well, he couldn't disagree.</p><p>As they entered, stopping in a mostly empty room, he could sense the heartbeats around him and wondered whether this was an ambush or something else. There were at least four others hidden around the building, just out of sight. A single table was pushed against a wall in one corner, the only thing in the dark and dingy room.</p><p>"I know you're probably pretty confused, yeah?"</p><p>He gave a slow nod, unable to hide the raising of an incredulous eyebrow.</p><p>Lara chuckled. "Sorry 'bout that. I'll explain. See, Fox - Dani, that is to you - noticed you at the meeting and thought we should know, as you were likely to recognise her. We were positive that you weren't going to betray the light, so that left one thing - spy."</p><p>She noticed the colour draining from his face despite the dim light and was quick to speak, hoping to alleviate his worries. "Nobody knows but the five of us. We're on the same side, just not in your little army. We're not telling."</p><p>Remus frowned. "I-I don't think I'm quite understanding this." Perhaps he had been naive in thinking that the Order was the only group actively fighting Lord Voldemort.</p><p>The woman gave a slight nod, turning her head to the side. "King, can you help with this?"</p><p>A man entered quickly, wand in hand and a cautious look in his eyes. He gave Remus a short nod of greeting, the small window providing just enough light to allow the werewolf to recognise the man despite the fact that he looked a lot different to the last time he had seen him. His hair was longer, pulled from the gelled appearance he had gotten used to, as if he'd been running his hands through it for hours. There was an unusual expression on his face, as if he wasn't happy to be there, but at the same time knew that it was necessary. His posture was more casual than he remembered it being, one hand in the pocket of his jeans - muggle clothes - and the other held his wand limply to the side.</p><p>A smaller group of three followed behind him, their stances more prepared for a fight, and moved casually behind Percy. He recognised each and every one of them from the same year; Oliver Wood, Penelope Clearwater and Dani Keith. His eyebrows raised almost of their own accord.</p><p>"Percy Weasley." After that realisation, he was truly hoping that they were on the same side; he wasn't sure how he would be able to tell Molly and Arthur that they were going to be fighting against their estranged son and his friends; all of whom he remembered to be knowledgeable.</p><p>Percy gave a smile of acknowledgement, tipping his head as he stopped beside Lara, tapping her shoulder in a slight pattern that made her smile for some apparent reason. </p><p>Lara's wand moved silently as she mouthed incantations, obviously privacy wards, around them, her face deadly serious.</p><p>The other three stopped a step behind Percy, their eyes slightly narrowed but not particularly hostile.</p><p>"Professor." The young man greeted quietly.</p><p>"Not your professor."</p><p>The two of them gave identical shrugs, Lara glancing at him from the corner of the room beside the window as she finished with the wards, as Percy opened his mouth to begin the explanation. "We noticed the changes being made on the horizon after the end of the Triwizard Tournament, obviously. I was under a lot of pressure after the Crouch debacle, and was suddenly given a huge promotion. It was unusual, enough so that we instantly knew what was happening."</p><p>Remus frowned. "Your parents say that you left because they suggested that."</p><p>Percy chuckled without humour. "That's true. I had gone to tell them about the promotion, about how I would be in a position to help, being close to the Minister. Father didn't let me get that far."</p><p>Remus sighed and shook his head slightly, weariness filling him as the man continued. It was obvious that nobody had the full story.</p><p>"I left without looking back. Regretted it, of course, but I couldn't go back after everything that had been said between us. So Lara and I did it ourselves. We recruited teams, knowing what was likely to start happening soon. We have people infiltrating different places. In the end, that's why we brought you here. Because we don't want to risk Fox. Keeping this from you would be doing that. Obviously, you can’t tell."</p><p>"Percy," Remus sighed heavily. "Your family-"</p><p>The man shook his head, lips curling into a wry smile. "Sorry Professor, no can do. If I'd had the option before...well, I have my own family to think about."</p><p>Remus nodded slowly, finally registering the strong scent of baby powder that surrounded the young couple. He gave a single nod of acknowledgement. </p><p>"Congratulations." He smiled as the young couple smiled at one another, reminding him of another such couple, doing everything they possibly could for their only child.</p><p>Percy smiled, this time sadly, his eyes filled with a tired sort of dull pain. "I know it's hard, Sir. I really do. Just - please, you can't tell anyone. Not even my family. We brought you here to let you know what was going on, that there's more of us, that there's more than just the Order of the Phoenix fighting. We all are."</p>
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<a name="section0033"><h2>33. Chapter 33</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Merlin," Percy muttered as he opened the door for his older brother, allowing him to brush past and hang his cloak on the stand. "What happened to 'I'll be here at four'? It's fu-lipping seven!" He merged his word into one that was more acceptable; his many muggle parenting books had explained that by this age, Grace was expected to start parrotting words back to them.</p><p>Lara raised an eyebrow and gave a sardonic grin as she overheard the comment from the living room. Percy had no room to speak; he had only returned from the Ministry an hour ago.</p><p>With everything going on, Voldemort’s return being publicised, the almost daily attacks on muggles and wizards alike, there wasn’t a lot of time spent at home. It had been months since the group had been in the same room, so they were making the most of it.</p><p>“Anyway,” Percy shook his head slightly. “Merry early Christmas.”</p><p>"Sorry, got caught up with Mum and Dad." Charlie rolled his eyes, following him to the living room, where Lara, Oliver and Penny were eating their dinners, Grace playing in the little playpen Percy had set up for her.</p><p>"Dinner first," Lara scolded lightly as Charlie entered, a grin on his lips as he caught sight of Grace.</p><p>The man gave a teasing groan, but sat down beside the married couple and took the plate hovering in front of him, smiling at the immediate warmth that met his hands.</p><p>They spoke as they ate, with Charlie telling the group - in full detail - about how one of the Dragon Handlers had lost an arm the week before after leaning too far over while feeding the beast. He had seemed oblivious to the grimaces Percy and Penny shared, consciously pushing away the meat on their plates and instead taking small bites of vegetables and mashed potatoes, but the smirk on his face showed that he knew full well the effect he was having. Oliver and Lara, on the other hand, had laughed heartily and rolled their eyes at the others’ actions, the Quidditch player bringing up a theory about training Dragons to play Quidditch.</p><p>Percy rolled his eyes fondly at the topic of conversation as he took their plates through to the kitchen, apparently being the designated cleaner; he claimed that Lara left streaks when drying the plates.</p><p>"Right," Lara said as Percy returned, sitting comfortably on the couch and stretching a casual arm across the back of the couch. "Charlie, this is your niece, Grace." She picked up the girl, passing her to her brother-in-law with a warm smile.</p><p>Charlie smiled down at the baby, holding her gently as she smiled up at him, her dark blue eyes meeting his.</p><p>He was filled with amazement; this was his little brother's baby. Almost a full year old and it was the first time he had had the chance to meet her. But he was allowed to see her. He was the only member of their family who even knew that Percy was married, let alone with a baby! Percy, his most withdrawn brother, had allowed him to see such a small part of him; had trusted him with his child. </p><p>He and Percy had never been particularly close. They were practically on opposite ends of the spectrum, with Percy being studious and quiet while Charlie was more outgoing, enjoying Quidditch more than learning. The bespectacled boy had always been close to their oldest brother, Bill, while Charlie had spent most of his time playing with the twins. Things had gotten better between them when Percy had become friends with Lara, becoming more confident in himself, less sullen, but they had never had too much in common. It meant a lot that Percy was revealing himself to Charlie.</p><p>"How's the Ministry going, Perce?" He asked curiously as he bounced Grace in his lap, her high-pitched giggling filling the room. The fond grin on his lips was a direct contrast to the more sober topic of conversation.</p><p>His brother let out a weary sigh. "More and more attacks every day. We had Inferi sightings in Dover last month. People are going into hiding, and it's difficult to sort those from the ones who...well, you know." He nodded to Grace in explanation as he trailed off at the end. The girl didn't seem to notice the dark turn the conversation had taken, judging by the grin on her small face.</p><p>Charlie nodded in understanding, shooting the man a sympathetic smile as he held Grace with one arm while leaning over to pick up the mug of tea Lara had levitated in for him.</p><p>"Want me to grab her for you?" Lara asked quietly.</p><p>He shot her a grateful grin as she moved forward, arms out for her daughter. "Wanna go to Daddy, Gracie?"</p><p>The girl's bubbly laugh rang out once more as she reached with chubby arms for Lara.</p><p>What none of them expected was for her to speak. "Da."</p><p>Percy choked on his drink, eyes widening in disbelief. "What was that, Honey?"</p><p>"Da! Da!" Lara noticed the dumbstruck expression on Percy's face as she swapped the wriggling baby for the mug in Percy's hand.</p><p>She shot Oliver a look, nodding her head towards the camera on the side, left there after photos had been taken at the last aptly named 'rebellion bonding night'. He quickly grabbed it, shooting photos of the still stunned father and daughter, shutter clicking repeatedly.</p><p>Lara smiled at Charlie. "Her first words," she explained in an undertone.</p><p>Understanding filled his eyes, though his smile did not waver. </p><p>He watched silently as Percy spoke to the toddler in a murmur, only receiving the occasional gleeful 'Da' as a response, his smile widening each time he heard it. He had never seen such adoration and vulnerability in his brother's face as he did in that moment. </p><p>He smiled proudly; perhaps Perfect Prefect Percy was doing something right.</p>
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<a name="section0034"><h2>34. Chapter 34</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had been a long year, Percy thought as he leaned over his desk in the middle of the Ministry bullpen on the Minister's floor, it had been filled with fear and worry, ducking into secure files and trying not to be noticed. But on the other side of it, it had been incredible.</p><p>The tiredness created by his estrangement to his family alongside the terror at the idea of being caught spying, but the pure adrenaline of doing something that was completely his own. The realisation that he had been placed in Gryffindor for a reason; that he belonged somewhere, even if it was in a different family of his own making.</p><p>The glee he had felt when Grace had said her first word only a few weeks before. The fire that rose in his chest, tears rising up in his eyes, filled with pride, because this was his baby, his own child. Someone who would look up to him, who would call him “Daddy” or “Dad”, who he would protect with anything and everything in him, even if it meant laying down his life.</p><p>Despite everything that had happened, things were working better than any of them could have expected. He had secured his position within the Ministry, being kept on even after Cornelius Fudge's resignation, and was learning more about plans for the war effort everyday. His role as the typical Ministry lackey had been believed, and he was being trusted by the Minister with the more delicate files and information. It was a tentative kind of trust, as if the Minister was waiting for the knife to land in his back, but it was still a measure of trust. He was thankful for it, knew that without it, they would be going in blind.</p><p>He and Lara, and then Penny and Oliver, had started a bloody rebellion - the members of the group arguing for it to be named The Insurgence. They had gathered over twenty active members who were helping with raids and plans and spying, and so many more supporters who were supplying them with safehouses throughout the wizarding world, potions, odd pieces of overheard information and so much more. </p><p>He had sighed as he sat beside his youngest brother's bedside, wand in hand, ready to disappear the second someone entered. Charlie had helped to sneak him in through a passage he had found back in his sixth year, and was keeping their family busy while Percy was with Ron.</p><p>Naturally, lost in thought, he had missed the doors of the Hospital Wing opening and his previous Head of House entering and approaching, only to stop at the sight of him. He had watched with guarded eyes as she had looked him up and down, cataloguing everything about him before giving him a look of pure disappointment; obviously finding him lacking.</p><p>It had hurt. A lot. Professor McGonagall had been the one Professor he had gone to when he had needed help. She had been the one to fight for him to be allowed to do more than the permitted amount of OWLs and then NEWTs, and for him to become Head Boy. He had looked up to her throughout his time at Hogwarts, fashioning his techniques as Prefect and then Head Boy after her.</p><p>He had opened his mouth, ready to spill everything, never mind the explosion that it would cause, ready to do something completely impulsive for the first time ever, before his brain caught up with his mouth and he stopped, shaking his head slightly. "Professor."</p><p>"Mr Weasley." He had winced slightly at the slight measure of cold hostility in her voice, rising to his feet quickly, suddenly yearning for the child waiting for him at home.</p><p>"Excuse me," he had murmured, casting the disillusionment charm on himself once more as he left the Hospital Wing, more than ready to return to base.</p><p> </p><p>He sighed wearily, shaking his head to push away the memory as he pushed the piece of parchment to the side and moved onto the next, dipping his quill into the pot of ink and underlining a certain part of a law that was due to be processed, keen eyes noticing a reasonably obvious loophole. He made a small note, careful to keep his handwriting as tidy as possible - a difficult task - as he kept reading.</p><p>He noticed as Marty - Willow - passed his desk, the tall man giving him a slight nod in greeting and sympathetic glance as his eyes took in the vast array of files and rolls of parchment on Percy's desk. </p><p>Working in the Auror office as a desk worker gave the group a huge advantage, the two men able to root out knowledge in their seperate departments, filling in blank spots for one another as they did so. Willow had a lot of acquaintances throughout different departments, though none of them were members of the group, nor did they now of his involvement in it. Fortunately for the Insurgence, this allowed Willow to subtly gain a lot of information under the guise of friendly talks; something that Percy, with the mostly - but not entirely - faked pompous mask and label of traitor to the cause to both warring sides, was unable to do.</p><p>"Weasley," Scrimgeour said as he approached the desk. "How are you doing with the Wilkinson files?"</p><p>Percy looked up at him, not smiling. "All finished, Sir. They're right here." He picked up the large pile of documents as he spoke.</p><p>The Minister gave a distracted nod. "Put them in my office. I have a meeting with Head Auror Lee in thirty minutes."</p><p>Percy gave a murmured assent as he carried the files through the door, eyes scanning the room for anything out of place as he left the files on the large mahogany desk in the middle of the room.</p><p>On the desk was a list in Scrimgeour's ghastly too-large handwriting, detailing the identities and suspected locations of many suspected Death Eaters. Percy quickly read it, trying to memorise as many of the names as possible as he left. He knew that he wouldn't be able to duplicate the list, the wards in the office detecting any magic cast within a certain distance. He started writing the instant he sat down, the letters jagged and messy as he wrote each name down, casting a drying charm before stuffing it subtly into the pocket of his trousers.</p><p>"Merlin!" One of the men across the room yelped as he received a memo in the form of a small paper aeroplane. "Hogwarts is under attack! Death Eaters!"</p><p>Percy swore under his breath as aurors ran from the room, heading for the apparition point. Willow gave him the ghost of a smile, acknowledging the fact that Percy couldn't leave without potentially revealing anything, before disappearing through the closing door.</p><p>Percy sighed, the only person left in the suddenly all too silent room, and looked back down at his desk, pulling a new roll of parchment towards him and beginning to read.</p>
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<a name="section0035"><h2>35. Chapter 35</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had begun, Lara thought as the message was sent out, feeling suddenly nauseous.</p><p>Percy was at the Ministry, unable to leave without arousing suspicion.</p><p>She was terrified as she waited at the cottage, Grace in her arms, pacing across the living room slowly as she listened to the record player, some obscure singer that Percy liked playing quietly in the background.</p><p>Her mind was filled with the horrific sight of Hogwarts' walls torn down, corridors filled with dust and grime as bright spells whizzed by, striking true, everything they met falling down and not rising again. She shuddered.</p><p>Willow had been his usual brilliant self, letting Lara know that "King's still in the castle."</p><p>Still, despite that, she found herself worrying; for Percy, for his family who were likely fighting for their lives in the castle, for her Insurgents (yes, they were her Insurgents), that somebody would be captured and their home be revealed - despite the fact the she knew full well that Charlie was the Secret Keeper, and would die before revealling the location. Considering he was safe - as much as possible - in Romania, she needn't worry so much. Still, fear was hardly ever rational.</p><p>They had received the alert from Willow, who had let them know that it was under control, and that both the Aurors and the Order of the Phoenix were there. Naturally, the rest of the group had taken that as an invitation to invade Lara and Percy's house as they waited for more news to follow.</p><p>Light, Fox and Green had been quick to steal the spot by the record player, the red-haired woman flipping through album covers curiously and playing them at random. Most of the group surrounded them, sitting or lying on transfigured chairs and cushions as they talked and joked quietly, hoping for more information to be sent through.</p><p>Giant, Oliver and Penny had stolen one of the sofas, and were lounging across it in a way that should be uncomfortable, but somehow wasn’t.</p><p>Charlie hadn't been able to leave the reservation, an incident with one of the mother dragons and a group of eggs keeping him in position, but he had let her know that he would be meeting them as soon as he could.</p><p>It was almost one in the morning when Percy and Willow entered the cottage, the latter limping slightly, both of their faces solemn.</p><p>"Dumbledore's dead," Willow announced quietly, the words seeming to echo around the room, merging with the warped whirring of the record. Of everything they had expected to hear, Dumbledore's death...it was one thing that nobody thought they would hear.</p><p>If Dumbledore was dead, how would they win? They wouldn't stop fighting, Lara knew, but when would it end? If the most powerful wizard they knew to be on the light side had been murdered, what chance did they have?</p><p>"How?"</p><p>Willow's face contorted into a snarl. "Snape. Killing curse at the top of the Astronomy Tower, Potter said. Poor kid watched it happen."</p><p>Lara sighed quietly, moving to Percy, her eyes meeting his as he spoke. "Greyback attacked Bill. He's alive, and it doesn't look like he'll be infected. Willow said there's...scars."</p><p>The woman sighed quietly, passing Grace to him as he looked at her, not entirely sure how to comfort him. She thought for a moment, watching as her husband pulled their daughter tight to his chest, resting his chin atop her ginger curls and closing his eyes as if just the action of holding her was helping him. </p><p>"Do...do you want to read him in?"</p><p>After all, she thought to herself, Charlie was a member of the Insurgence, and having a member of his family knowing the truth had helped, so what was one more?</p><p>Percy thought for a few minutes, moving to sit heavily on the couch, Lara sitting on the arm of the chair beside him. Bill was a member of the Order, and that would be an advantage already, as well as the fact that he worked with Gringotts as a Curse Breaker would be a huge help to them. "Yeah, I think so."</p><p>Lara nodded. "Charlie's on his way as soon as he can get away. He can probably sneak us into Hogwarts again."</p><p> </p><p>And so it was decided.</p><p> </p><p>Charlie arrived early the next morning, a new scar visible just below his lip, and a self-satisfied grin on his lips that told the group that he had done something that Percy would be annoyed by. Lara decided to drag the story from him while Percy wasn’t at the cottage.</p><p>Lara and Charlie set off just before five in the morning, leaving Percy to take care of a sleeping Grace. They had decided that with the Ministry Aurors within Hogwarts, it wouldn't be safe to risk Percy being caught sneaking in so soon. Charlie wouldn't be questioned, as Bill's younger brother, and Lara passed as a family friend.</p><p>They had spent the night speaking and deciding as a group what to do, and everyone had unanimously agreed that Bill would be a huge help to the cause.</p><p>Percy had scrawled the address onto a torn piece of parchment, being the only one who could share the secret, and watched nervously as his wife and brother disapparated at the end of the drive, disappearing with twin cracks.</p><p>Lara and Charlie arreared in Hogsmeade, the sky still pitch black in the early morning, the town dark and gloomy in a way they had never seen it.</p><p>The walk up to the castle was quiet, filled with almost silent murmurs as they filled each other in on their lives in a way they hadn't had an opportunity to the night before.</p><p>"-and then Light says-" She cut herself off instantly as they reached the gates, a subdued Hagrid allowing them in without his usually jolly greetings.</p><p>The castle was dark, lights turned out, scarily silent as they walked through the halls, not hiding but also not going out of their way to be seen by anyone. The halls were cold in a way they had never seemed before, the breeze almost ghostly as it passed them. Charlie stepped closer to her as if protecting her as they entered the Hospital Wing.</p><p>Lara hadn't been back to the castle since leaving three years before, and she almost wished she hadn't; memories of laughing and joking and sneaking out being merged into visions of terror. </p><p>She took a deep breath and approached the man's bedside, smiling at the sight of a beautiful blonde woman sleeping curled up in the chair beside him.</p><p>"Fleur," Charlie murmured in explanation. "They're engaged. She was the French Champion in the Triwizard Tournament."</p><p>"Can we trust her?" Lara asked, relying on his word.</p><p>The man gave a nod. "Yes. She supports the Order, though she isn't a member. She seems good, but I don't know a lot about her."</p><p>Lara gave a slight nod, trusting his word.</p><p>Unexpectedly, after the initial anger at being woken to see two figures standing above his bedside, Bill had listened in silence to their words and explanations, no more than necessary being given, deciding that no decisions would be made until he had seen Percy and spoken with him.</p><p> </p><p>Charlie had passed him the parchment, allowing him to read it before setting it aflame. He watched the secret set into his mind and his eyes clear slightly.</p><p>"Visit us when you can," Lara said quietly, shooting him a small smile as she turned with Charlie, leaving as quietly as they had entered.</p><p> </p><p>It was only three days later, as Lara and Percy sat on the floor of their living room, watching quietly as Grace toddled clumsily between them, that there was a quiet crack, followed by a light but firm knock on their door.</p><p>After a short glance, Lara picked up Grace, bringing her through to the kitchen, while Percy picked up his wand and approaching the door with Iggy at his feet.</p><p>"Who is it?" He asked tensely.</p><p>"Bill Weasley."</p><p>He smiled slightly to himself. "what did you and I talk about after the Quidditch Cup?"</p><p>Bill's voice came through the door, slightly muffled. "I told you to be careful. That things were changing at the Ministry."</p><p>Percy nodded to himself, opening the door and allowing his oldest brother into the cottage. "Lara, it's okay - just Bill."</p><p>He gestured for the man to come in, closing the door and locking it behind him as he led him through to the living room, smiling as his wife brought their daughter back into the room.</p><p>He smirked in a way that was unlike him as Bill looked at Grace and his eyes widened slightly.</p><p>"Bill, this is Grace, our daughter."</p><p>"Da! Da!" The girl yelled, obviously wanting his attention. Percy grinned fondly, picking her up and bouncing her gently, chuckling along with her ringing giggles.</p><p>The man didn't speak, sitting down heavily onto the sofa with a sigh. "I think you should explain."</p><p>"What about?" Percy asked, raising an eyebrow. "About how to have a baby? Good on you for waiting until marriage, William."</p><p>Lara snorted quietly, sitting beside Percy and allowing Grace to return to the ground, her chubby hands reaching for an irritated Iggy.</p><p>"I thought that was more your thing," Bill admitted with a slight shrug, not taking the bait. "How old is she?"</p><p>"One," Percy said quietly, his eyes on her.</p><p>"Why doesn't anybody know?"</p><p>Percy shot him a look. "People do know. People who it is safe for them to know. Charlie knows."</p><p>"And our parents?" Bill frowned, obviously not agreeing with their decision to keep Grace a secret.</p><p>Percy sighed, raking a hand through his hair. "It isn't safe. I work in the Ministry - without Dumbledore, it'll be taken over in a matter of months. If it comes out that I am less than loyal, anyone I am close to will be targeted - that includes Mother, Father, Fred, George, Ron, Ginny and you two. If anyone were to find out about Lara and Grace, they'd be the first to be targeted. I won't let that happen."</p><p>"So why are you telling me now?"</p><p>"Because," Lara began. "You can be trusted to know. Charlie was needed about a year and a half ago because we needed a contact in Romania. We had to pick our battles."</p><p>"And why am I needed?"</p><p>"You're not," Percy said bluntly, smirking slightly at the suddenly offended look on his oldest brother's face. "I wanted you to know. Officially, you're a Curse Breaker, so you know things that might be useful."</p><p>"Charlie's known for over a year?" Bill seemed stunned that his brother hadn't told anyone. Charlie wasn't known for being a good secret keeper, which was reasonably ironic.</p><p>Percy nodded silently and began to explain everything to his brother, hoping that he wouldn't be made to regret it.</p>
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<a name="section0036"><h2>36. Chapter 36</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was odd, Lara thought as she flipped another piece of bacon, sliding it onto a tray, how natural it felt to be celebrating Christmas despite the fact that there was a war going on outside. She could hear the sound of Percy's voice in the living room as he talked cheerfully to Grace, the girl babbling back at him with matching excitement.</p><p>The rest of the group were due to arrive in the next couple of minutes, and Lara was more than prepared with platters of breakfast foods, enough for the literal army that they were feeding.</p><p>With a knock at the door followed by chattering, she knew that their guests were beginning to arrive. She moved the trays to the magically enlarged table, leaving a pile of clean plates beside it as she cast a warming charm over everything. The table and room were too small for everyone to sit around it, and so she had moved all chairs into the living room, deciding that plates on laps would be more comfortable than knocking elbows at the table.</p><p>"Hey everyone," she said with a smile as she leaned casually against the door.</p><p>"Aun'ee La'" Mikey, Light's son, babbled excitedly as he reached his arms out for her.</p><p>Lara chuckled quietly, picking him up and bouncing him playfully before putting him back onto the sofa, not wanting to overexcite him so early. "Everyone ready for breakfast?"</p><p>The group of nineteen (not including children) sat around, eating their food quietly between lighthearted conversations, listening to the soft sound of old muggle Christmas songs on the record player.</p><p>The scent of bacon and baked bread filled the room, intermingling with cinnamon and mulled wine being prepared for later. </p><p> </p><p>"Attack planned on Longbottom Manor this afternoon." Flint's voice rang through Lara's bracelet, shocking her as she jumped to her feet. </p><p>"I'll go," she decided quietly. "Any volunteers?"</p><p>Willow gave a quick nod, followed by Serpent and Green - Lara's usual group.</p><p>Lara pressed a gentle kiss to Grace's forehead and Percy's cheek, promising him in a murmur that she would return home.</p><p>They were quick to pull on robes and disapparate as soon as they passed the wards. While Lara had never visited the Manor, Willow had, and was able to create a portkey to send them there.</p><p>They arrived right on time, appearing to watch in awestruck horror as Lady Longbottom attacked a man, knocking him to the snow-covered ground where he didn't rise again.</p><p> </p><p>They returned to the cottage not much later, without the woman, who had decided that she wasn't going to trust people she had never met. Lara could respect that self-confidence, and understood believing that you were better off alone despite the fact that she didn't agree.<br/>
Still, Lara had wished her good luck and watched as she had disapparated before the group returned to celebrating their Christmas.</p><p>All in all, the whole event was over in less than half an hour, and Christmas began again.</p><p>They could see the glow of lights inside the cottage, could hear the light and mostly uncommon sound of laughter emanating from the small building as they approached, Lara being the one to knock lightly on the door, as was habit.</p><p>"It's Lara," she called lightly, hearing Percy's voice as he asked her the security question before allowing them to enter the warm house.</p><p>She grinned and laughed lightly as her husband pulled her into a quick hug and dragged her further into the warm house, dusting flecks of snow from her hair as she deposited her robes on the stand.</p><p>"So what happened?"</p><p>Willow explained quietly, his hands wrapped tightly around a mug of hot chocolate, his tanned cheeks flushed from the icy wind outside. </p><p> </p><p>"I've got to know," Bill said as he and Fleur sat in one corner of the room. "What's with the names? I mean, I know why they're needed, but how did you decide them?"</p><p>"Well, King and Queen were pretty obvious. They're our leaders, the ones who brought us together. In a chessboard, they need to be protected. That gives Princess her name, too," Oliver explained casually before looking around at everyone else, leaning back against Percy's legs from where he sat on the carpeted floor. "Then there's the rest of us. We decided them a few nights after Grace was born. We all met up here and got drunk, picked out our names. It was a bloody great night!"</p><p>Lara laughed lightly, leaning forward to lay a gentle punch on his shoulder. "For you it was, Keeper. Perce and I were the ones who had to stay sober!"</p><p>"Where did you get the name Willow from?" Bill looked at the man curiously.</p><p>Marty chuckled gently and began the explanation. "There was an incident in my seventh year. I was a couple years ahead of King and Queen. There were a group of us Hufflepuffs who decided to sneak out after curfew to go to Hogsmeade. Unfortunately, we wandered right into the path of the Whomping Willow. Turns out that King remembers overhearing us being caught and brought in." He ran a hand through his dark hair, ruffling the windswept locks up more than before.</p><p>"How did you overhear it, anyway, Sport?" Light teased. "That was after curfew." The insufferable man already knew the answer; had been there the first time Percy had explained. However, he also knew the masks that Percy kept up around those he cared for, keeping them at arms length, and decided that as a fellow father, it was his duty to remove some of the misapprehensions his friend's brother likely had about Percy.</p><p>Percy rolled his eyes and leaned back against the sofa, his arm automatically moving and steadying Grace as she moved to the side. "Ol, Pen, Lara and I had gone on a trip to Oldpass. We were just getting back when we heard you lot being dragged in."</p><p>Lara jumped in cheerfully. "You made a good distraction for us to pass. Thanks for that."</p><p>"Since when do you break rules, Percy?" Bill asked, aghast. It felt like everything he thought he knew was beginning to tumble down around him.</p><p>Percy smiled mockingly, miming locking his lips. What his brother didn't know would never hurt him.</p>
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<a name="section0037"><h2>37. Chapter 37</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The ministry fell on the day of Bill and Fleur's wedding.</p><p>Percy had been at his desk as the robed figures passed through, slaughtering anyone who dared to fight. </p><p>Parchment, snapped quills, and cracked ink wells littered the ground, dark ink staining the ice cold skin of those who had fought and fallen.</p><p>He and Willow had stayed silent despite the voices in their minds that urged them to move, to shout, to fight. Instead, they sat, breathed, and watched.</p><p>Their eyes had met once, only for the fastest moment, before they turned back to their paperwork and picked up their quills once more in a cheap pretence of business.</p><p>He watched through the window of the office as Scrimgeour was tortured for information on Harry Potter's whereabouts. He had watched as the man had bent over in agony, blood on his face as he coldly refused to give them the answers they wanted, his eyes bright with stubbornness, pride, and a hope that his death would not be in vain.</p><p>Percy would make sure that it wouldn’t be.</p><p>He knew that he was going to die, knew that he would not leave the room. Still, he smiled blandly and shook his head in the face of the cold silver masks.</p><p>Percy watched as Scrimgeour's eyes had scanned the bullpen, meeting his own and giving an almost invisible nod of acknowledgement.</p><p>Scrimgeour knew, Percy realised, his face paling as the blood drained from his cheek. He listened carefully, preparing to disappear as soon as he was outed.</p><p>He didn't hear anything other than the man's yells of pain as he refused to talk.</p><p>He knew, Percy thought, and he wasn't telling. How long had he known? Why hadn’t he said anything? Was there something he didn’t know?</p><p>He needed to let the Insurgence know, needed to let Lara know. She could be in danger. What if they were already there? What if she was being attacked.</p><p>It was an almost physical blow to his chest as he realised that he couldn’t leave.</p><p>He thought back over the past year, to lists of names left in his office, to sensitive files he was given, to searching looks he was shot when they were the only ones still in the building past midnight.</p><p>Everything seemed to change as he realised the truth. It was obviously reflected on his face as Scrimgeour smiled. Well, not a smile, but a twitch of his lips that said it all.</p><p>Percy didn't look away, even as the man stared ahead, obviously knowing what was coming. He owed it to the man, who had given everything to their cause despite the pretence that he wasn't, to watch his sacrifice despite the fact that he didn't want to, that he knew the sight would haunt him for years to come.</p><p>Still, he sat and he watched, as he always did.</p><p>He didn't blink, turn his head or look away.</p><p>Not as blood splattered the ground.</p><p>Not as the man fell back, chest heaving with agony.</p><p>Not even as a sickening green light filled the room and the lion-like man fell.</p><p>He had exchanged glances with others in the room under the watchful glares of the Death Eaters, his eyes meeting Willow's but quickly moving away for fear of a link between them being noticed.</p><p>He didn't move, even as the room emptied and he was left alone.</p><p>Willow had shot him a subtle concerned frown, but Percy had given an almost indecipherable shake of his head. The man had been the last to leave, and Percy knew that he would be waiting for him at the cottage, along with the rest of the Insurgence.</p><p>It was only when the area was dark and he was sure after a charm that he was alone, that he cast a disillusionment charm on himself and entered the office.</p><p>He grimaced, feeling queazy as he passed his fallen boss, knowing that he couldn't waste any time.</p><p>The nauseating scent of iron attacked his nose as he opened the door and entered, and he found himself reeling back as if physically struck.</p><p>He sighed quietly and moved onwards.</p><p>He knew what he was looking for, odd comments over the year fixing together in his keen mind as he opened the top drawer and pressed his wand to the bottom of the drawer and murmured the short command under his breath. </p><p>It was so obvious, he realised as he stood behind the desk. Scrimmage must had known, likely for a long time, maybe even the whole time, and yet he hadn't said anything. Did it mean something? </p><p>He smiled slightly, sadly, picking up the thick envelope and tucking it into his robes as he turned and left without looking back.</p><p> </p><p>Lara was waiting when he entered the cottage, Willow sitting on the sofa and holding a wriggling Grace, who reached for him the second she caught sight of him. </p><p>Percy smiled, feeling immediately more relaxed as he collapsed into the sofa and pulled her into his arms, closing his eyes and allowing himself a moment of peace after a terrible day.</p><p>The envelope had been filled with files on suspected Death Eaters, containing their locations, suspected allies and properties. Things that would save time and lives in the future. A note had been attached, his name scrawled messily on the front of the tea-stained envelope.</p><p>"Weasley,</p><p>If you are reading this, I am likely deceased or otherwise disabled.</p><p>Be careful - you are playing with fire. Icarus didn't live long enough to regret flying so close to the sun. Do not follow in his actions.</p><p>You are likely wondering why I never spoke to you about it. I will not put it in writing. There are eyes and ears everywhere - in places you would never expect. It would do you good to remember that.</p><p>I have removed any links to Lara Weasley and Grace Weasley from the private files kept on you as a precautionary measure.</p><p>I have enclosed files of suspected Death Eaters - the files will not be missed. I hope that whatever you are planning works. </p><p>After my office is taken over, do not enter without orders. There will be alarms, curses. Small amounts of information you may gain are not worth your life. Find it elsewhere.</p><p>Do not trust anyone who hasn't proven them self worthy of it. It will get you killed.</p><p>Do not lose yourself in the effort. Do not make the same mistake I did.'</p><p> </p><p>The letter was signed, dated a few months before. </p><p>Percy sighed, thinking about writing such a thing preemptively, knowing that you might die at any given moment.</p><p>He shook his head, decision made as he pulled out a piece of parchment and his quill, beginning to write.</p><p>'Dear Grace.'</p>
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<a name="section0038"><h2>38. Chapter 38</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Everything had changed quickly, with families disappearing on an almost daily basis. Most people weren't sure whether it was the effects of kidnappings, murders or escapes.</p><p>The group who referred to themselves privately as 'The Insurgence', however, knew differently.</p><p>Propaganda was being spread, muggleborns and half-breeds being dragged through the mud, brought in to the Ministry and sent back out on a one-way trip to Azkaban. Those who fought fell. </p><p>People had long since stopped fighting.</p><p>Weeks and months quickly bled into each other, rescue after rescue being actioned, successes bringing highs, the occasional failures bringing devastating lows that ended with nights at the cottage, too many people squashed into one or two rooms, empty bottles of firewhiskey littering the carpet. Muggleborns, blood-traitors and at-risk families were being smuggled out of the country, into safe houses across Romania and France, hidden by sworn allies at risk of their own lives.</p><p>Percy watched as slowly, staff began to disappear quickly from around him without returning. </p><p>His father was one of the first.</p><p>He watched as careful eyes watched those who remained, looking for those who were doing exactly as he was.</p><p>He watched.</p><p>He watched and listened and took notes.</p><p>He watched and acted behind the scenes.</p><p>He watched and acted.</p><p> </p><p>The raid went wrong. </p><p>It was nowhere near the first, nor would it be the last time that something bad, or less than expected, had happened.</p><p>It was supposed to be simple, protecting a muggleborn family who were at risk of being captured. They had been right on time. The Death Eaters had been early.</p><p>Oliver and Green had apparated the family back to a safe space, where they would be sent to Romania by portkey.</p><p>"Sectumsempra!"</p><p>Percy yelled as he was struck down, the sound cut off as he choked, feeling the blood beginning to gush from the deep wound, spilling down his throat and filling his mouth with a coppery taste. He felt the gaping wound as it burned across his throat and down his chest and torso, and in that moment, he wished to pass out, to stop the agony stretching through his body.</p><p>He wondered whether Lara and Grace would be safe, whether they would win the war. </p><p>He had kissed the two of them goodbye that morning, rushing out of the door with arms full of files. </p><p>Would he ever hold them again? </p><p>Would Lara ever hold his hand again? </p><p>Would Grace ever tuck her head into the hollow of his throat, her curly hair tickling? </p><p>Would he ever see them again? </p><p>Would they know he had thought about them in his last moments?</p><p> Would they get the letters?</p><p>He watched as the Death Eater advanced upon him, their eyes seemingly meeting through the mask as the black robed figure fell. </p><p>Light stood behind him, a vicious grin on his lips that turned to worry as he shot forward, placing his ice cold hands onto the deep cuts as he activated the portkey with one last fleeting glance around the dark, almost-empty street, leaving the fallen death eaters in place.</p><p> </p><p>Lara let out a horrified yell as Percy fell limply to the ground in front of her, Light stumbling beside him. Crimson blood stained his clothes, his face, his hands.</p><p>She could see that Percy was unconscious, and found herself glad of it as Oliver ushered the rest of the group out of the house, leaving only Lara, Penny and Light with Percy. Oliver grabbed Grace from the woman on his way past, leaving reluctantly. "I'll bring her back to ours, Queen."</p><p>The Healer of the group quickly began with diagnostic spells, summoning blood replenishing potions from the medicine table one after another and muttering under her breath as spells to close the wounds across his body failed.</p><p>"Take his shirt off," Penny commanded. "Spells aren't working. We'll have to do it the muggle way."</p><p>Lara nodded her head, flicking her wand and watching as the fabric disappeared, revealing three additional deep gashes below the ones that created a 'y' shape across his throat. She let out a pained whimper as she watched Penny advance, curved needle and some sort of string clutched in a hand.</p><p>Light pulled her back, moving her to sit on the couch and kneeling in front of her as he whispered comforting words to her.</p><p>The door opened again, Charlie pushing through with a scowl on his face but stopping in his tracks as he saw Penelope working on his still - too still - bloody brother. </p><p>"Someone lock that bloody door," Penelope snarled. "Nobody else is to come in."</p><p>Light gave a slight nod, murmuring a spell as the lock twisted in place.</p><p>"What happened?" Charlie asked in an undertone, his face pale and voice shaky as he approached Lara and Light.</p><p>"The Death Eaters were early. We got the muggleborns out, but one of them got a hit on King. I took him down."</p><p>"Good," Lara murmured, her eyes not leaving the man on the ground. Penelope had moved onto the third wound, the deepest one.</p><p>Charlie sighed, moving forward as he wrapped an arm around Lara's shoulders. "He'll be okay. Stubborn bastard wouldn't dare leave you two."</p><p>Lara nodded, trying to find it in herself to believe him, but failing as she watched the man on the ground, his temporarily white hair dyed red by congealed blood, his fair skin grey.</p><p>She thought about how he had left for the Ministry that morning before the sun had even risen fully. He had pressed a gentle kiss to the top of Grace's messy curls as she lay sleeping in her bed, had pulled Lara close as they stood by the door, their lips moving together for a fleeting moment before he rushed away and disapparated with a final crack.</p><p>Would her final memory be of the man leaving, only to reappear half-dead?</p><p>Penelope stepped back after a moment, giving Percy another blood replenishing potion as she murmured under her breath, the man rising slowly, his eyes closed, skin waxy, lips blue. "He needs to stay in a bed for as long as you can keep him. Your room okay, Queen?"</p><p>Lara gave a quick nod, the three of them following the Healer as she brought Percy up to the bedroom, setting him lightly into the bed and turning to the others. "I'll be back in the morning. He's stable and should hopefully wake in the next couple of days."</p><p>Lara nodded along with the two men, the three of them sitting down on transfigured chairs and settling in to wait.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I’ll be honest with you, I was going to leave this as a cliffhanger, but I feel like I’d start getting death threats lol!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0039"><h2>39. Chapter 39</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lara had spent the night awake, watching for each and every breath her husband took, keen eyes watching his chest as it rose and fell slowly, soft snores escaping his lips. Her hand was clasped in his, her thumb rubbing circles into the back of his hand in an attempt to ground herself.</p><p>Charlie had found a space on the floor, making himself a nest of cushions and settling in with one of Lara's Egyptian History books.</p><p>Bill had arrived the night before, Fleur remaining back at their home so that one of them could be found if needed. He had made his own space beside Charlie, leaning against the wall and grabbing his own book, wand idly tracing each individual rune.</p><p>She sat on a transfigured chair beside the bed, not wanting to jostle Percy or be comfortable enough to fall asleep.</p><p>Light, on the other hand, had pulled up a chair beside Lara. He had spent most of the night speaking softly, comforting the terrified woman. He had spoken of his late wife, of the pain and fear he had felt when she had died in childbirth almost four years before. He had told her what the woman had been like, about their first date, about how he had proposed to her, about how she was wanted to wait to get married because she wanted Mikey to be there in person.</p><p>Lara had listened silently, relaxing slowly. She wouldn't have to feel that, because Percy was alive.</p><p>He was alive. He was breathing. He was safe. Except, was he really? They were at war; none of them were safe.<br/>
But for the moment, as he slept peacefully, his wounds slowly beginning to heal, Lara watched over him, her wand within arms reach. He was safe.</p><p>She was pulled from a light doze when his hand began to move, fingers twitching slightly.</p><p>"Perce?"</p><p>When he went to speak, she shook her head and smiled slightly, sending a Patronus off to let Penelope know that he was awake.</p><p>"You're okay Perce, Light brought you here and Penny fixed you up as much as she could."</p><p>He smiled weakly, eyes scanning the room and taking note of the sight of Charlie sleeping quietly on the floor beside the bed, his limbs stretched awkwardly across the soft carpet, Light slumped back on the cushioned armchair, head lolling in a way that he knew would make his neck agony when he woke up.</p><p>Bill was awake still, the paleness of his face making the deep purple under his eyes and the scars crossing his face more obvious. He gave Percy a slight wave, but didn’t move, allowing Lara to fuss over his brother.</p><p>Percy was warm and comfortable, and if not for the suddenly noticeable burning pain shooting across his throat and chest, he could probably get back to sleep.</p><p>Iggy, his eternal lap cat, lay on Lara's side of the bed, snoring softly.</p><p>He frowned and shot her a questioning glance.</p><p>"Grace's with Pen and Ol. We -" Lara shook her head and let out a deep shaky breath. "You were bad, Perce...we were so scared. I'm just...I'm glad you're alive, Love."</p><p>The man shot her a smile, opening his mouth slowly as a crack echoed around them; Penelope. Lara was about to get up but shook her head and stayed in place - Penelope and Oliver were able to enter the house of their own will.</p><p>She listened as familiar footsteps climbed the stairs, approaching them as Penny entered the bedroom, her face flushed and eyes bright. </p><p>Lara stood back as the woman hovered, wand twisting and flicking as bandages appeared and replaced old ones, forcing different potions directly into the man's stomach before giving a final nod and smiling slightly. "You just need rest, Perce. Soft foods and cold drinks. Do you have any ice?"</p><p>Lara gave a slight nod, rising to her feet unsteadily, stifling a yawn behind her hand as she headed to collect a glass of ice, glancing back and smiling at the sight of the group.</p><p>Charlie and Light were beginning to stir, the Dragon Rider grumbling slightly as he stretched and rolled his shoulders. Percy was smiling at their antics, sat up against the headboard, chest bare but for the pure white bandages the covered the wounds. His skin had regained some of its colour, though he was slightly paler than usual, and he seemed a lot more coherent than the night before; not something that was difficult to achieve.</p><p>When she returned with the requested ice chips and a spoon, Percy was dozing slightly, one hand running through Iggy's fur, the other stretched out on the mattress, palm up as it had been when she left. Penelope had stolen her chair.</p><p>Bill had pulled Penelope into a conversation about healing, something technical enough that Lara’s tired mind opted not to pay attention to.</p><p>Lara smiled in relief at the sight of the group, all of them safe and alive and unharmed, taking a seat on the edge of the bed, careful not to move it too much, and offering the cup to Percy when he shot her a weak glare. She rolled her eyes slightly, keeping her hands free in case he dropped it.</p><p>"How was Gracie, Pen?"</p><p>Penelope gave a slight laugh. "Once Olly managed to tire her out a bit, she was good as gold. Ol might be planning a kidnapping!"</p><p>Lara laughed lightly while Percy grinned around a small mouthful of ice.</p><p> </p><p>It was only mid-afternoon when everyone left, but Lara had noticed the lowering of his eyelids and the slight sheen of sweat on his forehead, and she had given the signal. Charlie was sleeping on the couch downstairs, while Lara and Percy had made themselves comfortable, Lara being careful not to move too much, terrified of pulling any of the stitches that criss-crossed over the man's body.</p><p>"I was so scared," she admitted in a murmur as she looked at him through half-closed eyes. "I thought you were gonna die."</p><p>He lay on his back, the cover pushed back to his waist, eyes closed and head facing the ceiling. Sunlight filtered into the room through a small gap in the curtains, lighting up his hair, a million different shades of gold, red and orange mixing together.</p><p>She thought Percy had fallen asleep when he didn't reply for a long moment, and was surprised when he sighed shallowly and turned his head to look at her, eyebrows furrowing slightly as the cuts on his throat twisted. "So did I. I just thought about you and Grace. I was thinking - I left so quickly yesterday. What if that was the last time I ever saw you?"</p><p>Lara nodded slightly, shuffling forward and carefully wrapping an arm around him, mindful not to touch the bandages on his chest, tucking her head into his shoulder. She closed her eyes, sniffing quietly. "I love you, Perce. You know that, right?"</p><p>He smiled, though she couldn't see it, one hand moving up to cup the back of her head. "I know, beautiful. I love you, too. So much."</p><p>The woman nodded slightly, a small amount of stiffness leaving her body as she relaxed slightly. </p><p>They were in the eye of the storm. A small, calm area, surrounded by fierce winds on every side. If they moved, they would be dragged into the storm.</p><p>Lara found that she didn't quite mind staying in place for a bit longer. Judging by the quiet calm breaths she could feel Percy taking, and the purrs coming from wherever Iggy was lounging, neither did they.</p>
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<a name="section0040"><h2>40. Chapter 40</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lara pressed a light kiss to Percy's cheek as she passed him, pulling a sweater over her shoulders. The large silver 'P' on the front showed that it didn't originally belong to her, but it was comfortable and warm and smelled like the man sitting on the couch, holding their sleeping daughter.</p><p>"See you soon," he murmured, careful not to be too loud as he looked at her with pure concern in his eyes.</p><p>In the past two weeks since Percy's near-death experience, neither of them had left the house alone for anything other than the Ministry - and even then, Percy had had Willow with him, as well as a glamour to hide his injuries from outsiders. The members of The Insurgence had made up excuses to visit at first, but by the end of the week, they would drop by every so often without reason to check in or bring food or just spend a night talking and playing with Grace and the other members' children. Lara realised that even when the war ended - because it was when, not if - this wouldn't stop.</p><p>Saturday nights would still be spent at the cottage with Chinese or Indian or whatever had been voted on, with muggle board games splayed out on the coffee table, the record player whirring in the background with whatever Light or Willow or Oliver had chosen for the night.</p><p>It wouldn't change, Lara knew. <br/>They had become a family when the only thing they had been looking for was safety.</p><p>She smiled at Percy, giving a lighthearted nod, though there was concern in her eyes as she glanced at the angry red semi-healed scars that crossed his pale throat. "I'll be back before you can even think to miss me."</p><p>Percy shot her a smile. "I always miss you when you're gone, Love."</p><p>The woman shook her head, giving him one last wave as she left the house and closed the door behind her. It was early in the morning, just before four o' clock, but Percy was due back at the Ministry in two and a half hours, and they didn't want to risk having any issues.</p><p>Pulling out her wand as she reached the edge of the wards, feeling the web of magic allow her to leave, she twisted on the spot and disapparated.</p><p>She landed with a slight stumble by the sea in Cornwall, exactly where she had planned it. The air was crisp, burning her exposed skin as she rushed up to Shell Cottage, and knocked firmly on the front door.</p><p>"Who is it?"</p><p>"Lara Weasley," she stated proudly. She didn't usually get the opportunity to use her full name, and completely enjoyed it when she was able to. She couldn't wait until everything was over; she would be able to publish her articles with her true name, would be able to introduce herself as Percy's wife, Grace's mother. Things would change when everything was over, and she couldn't wait.</p><p>"What happened after you came home after seventh year?"</p><p>Lara flushed at the memory, shaking her head. "You walked in on Percy and I. You made it seem a lot more scandalous than it was."</p><p>The door opened, revealing the older man's scarred face. He smiled at the sight of her, waving her in quickly and closing the door behind her.</p><p>The kitchen was unexpectedly full, with a full group of five children and three adults standing around. Lara gave Bill and Fleur a quick hug each in greeting, nodding at the others in acknowledgement and smiling as the French woman was quick to offer her breakfast.</p><p>"No thank you," she said lightly, her voice low. "Princess has suddenly decided that she won't eat unless me or her dad are with her and eating, too."</p><p>Bill laughed lightly. "She's got that gene from King. I remember he used to do that, too." She appreciated the use of the name. It wasn't that she didn't trust the others in the room specifically, more that she didn't trust anyone.</p><p>"And how eez King healing?" Fleur asked gently, her pale hair tied loosely back revealing the concerned expression on her gorgeous face.</p><p>Bill's eyes grew serious as Lara let out a quiet sigh, visible pain in her face. "Lara?"</p><p>Lara shook her head slightly. "He's okay. He's healing - just...he's in so much pain, all the time. He has to go in at half six."</p><p>Bill nodded soberly, glancing at his watch even as he knew that they had hours to go. He understood the risk that Percy was putting himself into, understood that the information he had gathered, was continuing to gather, was essential to the war effort. That didn't mean he liked it, though.</p><p>"What's goin' on?" Ron asked around a mouthful of toast. Lara grimaced slightly at the bruising and cuts that marred his face, hoping that despite the fact that he knew her to be a past friend of Percy's, he wouldn't put everything together.</p><p>She took a moment to look at each of the children. They were all worse for wear, with cuts and bruises covering their skin. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Dean looked half-starved, as if they hadn't been able to eat most of their meals. Being on the run, Lara knew that they probably hadn't. Luna looked a little better, healthier, but her skin was slightly grey with lack of sunlight, and her bright eyes were sunken in, darker than a young girl's should be.</p><p>"Nothing to do with you," Bill explained shortly as they sat at the table. "How're the raids going?"</p><p>Lara smiled widely, thankful for some good news to share, leaning back in the chair and accepting the mug of tea with a thankful smile, taking a long sip of the scalding brew. "We managed to get the Patterson family across to Romania finally last night, after a few stops through France. They're safe and sound, if a little shaken up." She paused for a moment. "If all goes as planned, there's another planned tonight. I'm going, taking my team."</p><p>"What if King- Princess?" Bill frowned slightly, not disapproving, more worried.</p><p>She sighed. "Keeper took the last one with King. He's still in Romania, keeping out of the way for a while. King's out for at least a couple weeks. I'm the only one with the lists. Willow and a few others are staying with him if I go tonight - we've discussed it and he really isn't happy about it, but he gets it. He'll be safe."</p><p>"Give it to someone else," Bill suggested, though his face showed he didn't believe for a second that she would do that.</p><p>Lara shook her head and he gave a nod of understanding, obviously not holding it against her despite the fact that he didn't agree. "Princess misses you both, by the way."</p><p>Fleur smiled warmly. "We miss her as well. Give her our love."</p><p>Bill chuckled lightly, glancing at his watch quickly. "It's time."</p><p>Lara finished her drink and rose to her feet, glancing at Luna Lovegood and Dean Thomas. She pulled a small note from her jeans pocket, the words written in Charlie's scrawled handwriting, and showed it to them quickly. "Memorise that. Got it?"</p><p>When they both nodded, she set it aflame and smiled at those around. "I'll see you all around." She paused for a moment before continuing. "Harry, Ron, Hermione. Good luck with whatever you're doing. We're all fighting for you."</p><p>With that, the group of three left the homely warmth of the cottage, walking purposefully towards the seafront until Lara could feel the wards dissolve. She moved a little further before turning to them. "You've both used a portkey before, right?"</p><p>When they nodded, she smiled in relief, pulling out an old book and held it out for them to grab before giving it a light tap with her wand, muttering something under her breath.</p><p> </p><p>They appeared in the street just outside the cottage, the area deserted as was usual for such an early hour. </p><p>"Come on through," she murmured, nodding towards the cottage and leading them into the wards.</p><p>Percy's voice rang through the air, slightly hoarse as she knocked despite the fact that the blood wards allowed her to enter without doing it. She knew that the semblance of control was a comfort to Percy; especially when he was the only one home with Grace. "Who is it?"</p><p>Lara smirked slightly. "Lara."</p><p>Percy chuckled on the other side of the door. "When did we get married?"</p><p>"The sixteenth of October, ninety-five."</p><p>The door opened and Lara entered first, pressing a gentle kiss to Percy's lips as they moved inside. He was wearing his Ministry robes already, prepared to leave at a moments notice.</p><p>Luna and Dean looked around curiously, eyes scanning the room around them in silence. </p><p>Dean's mind was whirring; in his years at Hogwarts, dealing with Percy Weasley and hearing about him from Ron, this was exactly the opposite of what he was supposed to be doing. The pompous, stick-in-the-mud Prefect and Head Boy just didn't match the laid back, casual man standing in front of them. He didn't quite understand, but he wasn't complaining - the man was giving them a safe place to stay afterall.</p><p>"Come on," Lara breathed. "I bet you two want to sit down and relax, huh?"</p><p> </p><p>Percy smiled calmly at the two newcomers as they sat together on the sofa, ignoring the quick glances they shot to his throat. Grace was sat on the carpet, her fingers entangled in a dozing Iggy's fur. "Would either of you like a drink of something?"</p><p>When both of them shook their heads, he hummed lightly. "You must be wondering what's going on." It was more a statement of fact than a question.</p><p>Both children had been told that they were leaving, but not where to. It wasn't safe to give those details while with people who weren't involved, and with Charlie being their Secret Keeper, nobody other than him was able to give the information away.</p><p>He continued, noticing the agreement and slight confusion in their expressions. "You'll both be staying here for an undisclosed length of time. It won't be permanent, though, due to my working at the Ministry. That's where Lara is - she's setting up the bedrooms upstairs. The cottage is under the Fidelius Charm. D'you both know what that is?"</p><p>Luna and Dean nodded, the boy giving a light hum of agreement.</p><p>"So nobody we don't trust can access it. Regardless, it isn't safe for you both to stay for a prolonged period of time. We're currently awaiting a safe house in Romania, but there's a bit of a wait."</p><p>"Thank you," Dean whispered hoarsely. "For letting us stay. We appreciate it."</p><p>Luna nodded with him as she moved to sit on the carpet beside Grace, scratching at Iggy's ears with a slight smile.</p><p>Percy waved his hand slightly. "It will be getting a bit busy tonight - we have a...ah, meeting planned - but you will need to stay out of the room for that, but you can come back down after. Nothing is being kept from you, it's just-"</p><p>"We get it," Dean smiled slightly. "We're not involved with what you're doing. It's fine. Do you need any help with anything?"</p><p>Percy was about to shake his head, but as he thought about it, he gave a slight nod. "The meeting should only last about an hour, but I'd appreciate it if the two of you could mind Grace for the time. She's starting to repeat words." The grimace on his face showed his thoughts at that.</p><p>Lara smiled as she entered, taking a seat beside Percy and placing a hand on his thigh with a casualness that showed it was habit, a thoughtless action. "Perce, I was thinking...what if I were to try and get a message to Hogwarts? If we could smuggle a chain to Ginny or one of the Insurgence relatives..."</p>
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<a name="section0041"><h2>41. Chapter 41</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lara shivered as she sat just past the Hogwarts wards, the warming charm not doing too much (it was hard to imagine being warm while sitting in the snow, and with that being the main premise of the spell - well, there wasn’t a lot that could be done) in the early March weather. Her eyes scanned the area, finally finding the person she was waiting for.</p><p>"Professor McGonagall," she hissed as the woman passed, watching as the woman raised her wand.</p><p>The morning had been spent waiting, planning, watching. She was certain that the woman was who she claimed to be, and was willing to reveal herself. Hours had been spent in the same position, and her limbs had long since grown numb.</p><p>"It's okay," she said quietly. "I'm on your side. Do you have anywhere we can speak?"</p><p>She followed the silent woman further into the forest, stopping as they entered a cave and beginning to raise privacy wards around them. Only then did she remove the disillusionment charm, smiling slightly at the woman's surprise. The polyjuice kept her from being recognised by the woman she looked up to.</p><p>"Who are you?"</p><p>"I moved into the boys' dormitories in fourth year."</p><p>"Lara Grey," the woman murmured in greeting, her face filled with deep lines of worry that hadn't been there the year before.</p><p>Lara shot her a wry smile, not correcting the surname with great difficulty. "Professor, I came to let you know that Luna Lovegood and Dean Thomas were rescued from Malfoy Manor, along with another certain trio."</p><p>She nodded slightly when the woman's face filled with comprehension, rubbing her hands together and wishing she had had the foresight to bring gloves. "They're all safe. Luna and Dean have been brought to a safe house, and are safe and healing well. I can't give anymore information."</p><p>When the woman smiled, she was stunned, even more so at the huge sigh of relief she released. "Thank Merlin." She quickly lost the relief, her face hardening into worry. "What are you doing, Grey? Do you know how dangerous it is to be here?"</p><p>Lara smirked, rubbing her icy hands together. "Professor, if you think this is dangerous...well, you really don't wanna know what we've been doing the past couple of years. Heard of The Insurgence?"</p><p>McGonagall sighed, a wrinkled hand pinching the bridge of her nose. She knew the child, had spent seven years teaching her, caring for her - not a lot could surprise Minerva McGonagall. Not even finding out that one of her students had joined a rebellion group; it wouldn't be the first, nor the last time. "You always were a troublemaker, Grey. You hid it well, but I knew." She paused before letting out an admission. "I'm glad you're okay. And everyone else."</p><p>"I wanted to let you know, Professor. Just...I know I don't need to say, but keep it to yourself for now." Lara smiled warmly, her eyes kind but filled with a cold determination that made the elderly Transfiguration fear for those she called her enemies. "We're still fighting, we won't stop."</p><p> </p><p>As she stood in the tunnel, back at Hogwarts for the first time since her seventh year, she smiled despite the tens of wands pointed directly at her face. It wasn't a huge surprise, considering she had taken polyjuice potion before leaving, and had been sipping on it every hour since morning. </p><p>She raised her hands in surrender, her eyes locking with a familiar red haired girl near the front of the group. "I'm here to help, promise."</p><p>"Who are you?" Lara was impressed; Neville Longbottom had been a chubby, shy thirteen year old last time she had seen him.</p><p>"I can't give my name, for the safety of myself and the rebellion. I can tell you, though, that we are fighting. I have a message."</p><p>"Go on." Neville's wand was still pointed directly at her throat.</p><p>Lara smiled. "Luna Lovegood and Dean Thomas were rescued from Malfoy Manor a week ago."</p><p>The room burst into applause and cheers, and she found herself smiling widely, waiting for them to calm down.</p><p>"Many of you may have heard of the group rebelling against the dark side. The Insurgence."</p><p>Longbottom and Ginny gave slow nods, obviously the two unofficial leaders of the group.</p><p>"I go by Queen. Luna and Dean have been healed and are in hiding at a safehouse."</p><p>"Why are you here?" Ginny asked, her eyes narrowed. "I don't believe that you came to tell us that."</p><p>Lara nodded in agreement. "I didn't. I came here to share a message with Professor McGonagall. I also wished to get in contact with a member's relative, and to check and help everyone here."</p><p>"Who did you want to contact?"</p><p>Lara nodded at Ginny. "You."</p><p>"Who is it?" Ginny asked, paling slightly. "Ron? Bill? Charlie? Fred and George?"</p><p>Lara frowned at Percy being missed out but sighed, knowing that she couldn't correct it just yet. "I can't say. They wanted me to check on you. And I wanted to give you this."</p><p>She moved forward, passing Neville her wand, and reached into her pocket, pulling out a silver chain. "It's similar to those coins you all have, but is connected to myself and King only. If you need help, hold your wand to it and speak."</p><p>"How do I know you're telling the truth?"</p><p>Lara shrugged. "You don't. It's a matter of trust. I can tell you that if I couldn't be trusted, Professor McGonagall would never have told me the location of the passage."</p><p>"Who is King?"</p><p>Lara shook her head gently. "I can't tell you, Ginny. You might recognise his voice, but...it cannot be said aloud. He is King."</p><p>She smiled slightly at the calculating glint in the girl's eyes. She always had been a smart child.</p><p>Ginny nodded reluctantly. "Why won't you just tell me who it is? What if he's in danger?"</p><p>"He is in danger, Ginny. This is war. But if I told you, he'd be in more danger than that - his position is too sensitive to risk. If I were to tell you my own identity, it would ruin that similarly."</p><p>The girl gave a reluctant nod as Lara passed through the room, carefully healing any wounds she could. Still, Lara knew that she wouldn't give up; she was like Percy in that way. Too stubborn, too headstrong, too bloody smart.</p><p>Her heart lurched at the sight of the hammocks. Children had been forced from their own beds, where they were supposed to feel safe. They had been attacked, tortured, and nothing could be done about it.</p><p>She stopped by Seamus, her wand against his forehead as she focused her magic to heal the deep gash cutting through his eyebrow. "Dean says to tell you he misses you." She smiled warmly at the pure happiness on his face, so young despite the old weariness in his eyes.</p><p>Lara sighed as she stood at the tunnel entrance once more and gave them a slight nod as she turned to leave. "Be careful," she called back. "It won't be safe for me to come back for a while. Have Ginny let us know if there's an emergency."</p><p>She closed her eyes for a moment before beginning to walk without looking back.</p><p>She knew that if she turned around, it would be too difficult to walk away.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0042"><h2>42. Chapter 42</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lightning has struck. </p><p>The line was predictable and yet apt as it rang from the radio on Percy's desk, repeated multiple times on different radios around the room.</p><p>Lightning has struck.</p><p>Lightning has struck.</p><p>When lightning strikes, it hits one direct place, but the effects explode outwards. There is never any predicting the outcome of a lightning strike; the mortality rate; the destruction it will cause.</p><p>Lightning has struck.</p><p>Still, as the Ministry emptied rapidly around him, Percy found himself smiling grimly to himself, exchanging a short nod with Willow as they met in the middle of the room.</p><p>"I'm going to base," Percy said. "Go through the passage. We'll all meet in the room, yeah?"</p><p>Willow gave an affirmative answer, his face deadly serious as Percy patted his shoulder, the two of them disapparating.</p><p>Percy appeared outside the cottage and was quick to enter, eyes meeting Lara's as she approached. "Lara, where's Grace?"</p><p>"Just in the Kitchen. Penny's taking her and the others to second base."</p><p>Percy gave a slight nod, taking the offered chain from her and clasping it around his wrist as he headed for the Kitchen, wanting to see his daughter for what could possibly be the final time.</p><p>The red haired child smiled widely as he approached, her arms opening as wide as she could reach and her eyes shining.</p><p>Percy sighed, holding her as close as he could, pressing his face against the top of her head, memorising the sound of her giggles, the weight of her in his arms, the scent of her floral shampoo, closing his eyes and hoping, hoping, hoping that everything would be okay in the end.</p><p>He pulled back reluctantly after a few moments, allowing Penny to grab her as he turned to his wife. "I'll get back to the Ministry. Take care of the stragglers. I'll send out an alert to everyone."</p><p>Lara gave him a nod, lurching forward and smashing their lips together with an urgency that he completely understood. Would this be the last time he held her? Would he ever feel her lips against his, her hands on the back of his neck, in his hair? <br/>He held her like it was, hoping that it wasn't.</p><p>"I love you," Lara whispered as she pulled back, her face mere inches from his, her eyes on his own.</p><p>"I love you too, Lara," Percy murmured back before stepping away with a disappointed sigh. "I need to go."</p><p>"Be safe."</p><p>"You, too," the man said, glancing at Grace once more as he headed for the fireplace and threw the floo powder, disappearing in a swirl of dark emerald green.</p><p> </p><p>Lara watched as Percy disappeared, waiting until the flames turned golden and crimson once more, before turning and shooting Penelope a smile. She pressed a kiss to Grace's forehead and left the cottage, disapparating without looking back as she passed the wards.</p><p>She knew that if she looked back at the cottage, she may not be able to leave.</p><p>When she appeared in Hogsmeade, she didn't immediately recognise it. The street was grey and dreary in the dim light, almost silent in a way that made her feel ill. She shook off the feeling, rushing through the door of the Hog's Head and giving Aberforth a grin as he nodded towards the stairs, allowing her passage.</p><p>The room was filled with people, both leaving and entering the tunnel.</p><p>Noise surrounded her as she moved through the crowd, climbing up through the hole and beginning the journey.</p><p>As she walked, she thought about everything that had happened in the past few years. Everything they had done was leading up to this. </p><p>By the end of the night, everything could be over. By the end of the night, they could be free.</p><p>By the end of the night, everything could be over. By the end of the night, they could all be dead.</p><p>But she couldn't think like that. Lara rolled up her sleeves and continued onwards. Her wand was in her hand, knuckles stark white. Her eyes were narrowed and lips curled into a scowl that was uncommon on her face. Determination created a fire in her blood and bones, urging her on.</p><p>The moment was years in the making. Harry Potter had come to Hogwarts, and so was the Dark Lord. Everything was going to be over by the end of the night, she knew deep down in her gut.</p><p>Every moment in the past two years added up to one event.</p><p>Lara smiled at the thought of everything they had achieved.</p><p>She thought about nights spent in an off the grid building, training and duelling as they fought to get better. They knew that one second could be the difference between life and death, and they couldn't allow a second to be given to the opposition. She thought about the outcome; the huge group apparating back to  the cottage, sitting around the living room and eating cheap takeaway.</p><p>She thought about late afternoons in the kitchen around a small table, going over notes and files, making and re-making plans. She thought about how often those plans actually went as expected.</p><p>She thought about the way they had rallied together each and every time someone was hurt, meeting up in one place, spending nights together, babysitting for each other. She thought about the nervous nights spent worrying about whether their co-conspirators, friends, family would return to base, home.</p><p>She thought about the lighter moments.</p><p>She thought about the group of twenty men and women squeezing their way into a small room in a muggle hospital, each and every one of them cooing and smiling as they passed a hours-old Grace between them.</p><p>Christmases spent together, roast dinners on their laps as they sat around the living room, pulling crackers and filling the small cottage with warmth and laughter and love.</p><p>She thought about Saturday Game Nights, where Monopoly had been banned after Percy and Oliver had been caught cheating, pizza boxes piled up and tossed into one corner of the kitchen, waiting to be binned in the morning, empty cans of muggle drinks mixed with wizarding bottles. </p><p>She thought about the family she had found without looking. The twenty-odd brothers and sisters. The small group of nieces and nephews who were doted on by their new chosen families.</p><p>She knew that she would have to live. Because when everything was over, things were going to get so much better.</p><p>She smiled grimly and walked on to better days.</p>
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<a name="section0043"><h2>43. Chapter 43</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The room was full to the brim, students and their family members running around and hugging one another tightly.</p><p>Lara smiled as she looked around, eyes catching those of her fellow Insurgents, giving them a familiar nod as she passed them by. She could see Bill and Fleur with their family, greeting one another lovingly. She shot them a smile and wink over the heads of others. Oliver held his hand out for a friendly fist bump as she passed him, shooting her a friendly grin. "Where's Pen?"</p><p>"She's back at the base, protecting the kiddies. As was the plan. She's safe." Lara gave him a comforting smile.</p><p>"Thanks, Queen. King on his way?" She rolled her eyes at the familiar nickname, pushing him lightly as he wrapped a brotherly arm around her shoulders, but gave a slight nod.</p><p>"Yeah, just back at the Ministry getting the leftovers. Set him to calling in reinforcements. You ready, Keeper?"</p><p>Oliver gave a slight shrug, usual easy going smile disappearing for a moment as he shot her an unusually sober look. "Don't think I ever will be, to be honest. Just glad Pen and Gracie are back safe."</p><p>Lara nodded her head, agreeing completely, looking around for any familiar faces and quickly finding one. "Here he comes."</p><p>Percy headed towards her, barely looking at anyone else as he weaved through the crowd, pulling her into his arms. She could feel the racing of his heartbeat and knew that despite the fact that he would never show it, he was terrified. She understood; she was too. They had to return home. They couldn't leave Grace behind.</p><p>"Perce?"</p><p>"I'm fine, Queen...just...you sure about this? You can stay with Pen and Gracie..." His eyes were wide with worry, freckles dark against his skin.</p><p>Lara shot him a glower that had him stepping back, hands raised in surrender. "Pen's got her, they're all safe. I double checked the wards, and portkeys have been put in place incase. As for the question -"</p><p>Oliver cut her off, stepping forward. "C'mon, let's not have a domestic. I mean, King, your family's just there. I think it's time."</p><p>Percy looked in the way he had nodded and sighed at the sight of the group of red heads. His mother was looking at them, her face a picture of sadness and hurt. His father's expression was less easy to read. His younger brothers weren't looking at him, but Ginny was and the slight frown on her face made him nervous. </p><p>"Right," he sighed, "I'll go say hullo."</p><p>"D'you want me there?" Lara asked, concerned.</p><p>Percy shook his head, a small smile on his face. "No, you get the group together, go over the plan again. I'll be fine."</p><p>He paused for a moment before turning back to her and pressing his lips to hers for a long moment, tasting her, remembering everything he possibly could, hands on her sides, hers around his neck, thumb brushing gently against the slightly raised scars. He pulled back reluctantly, leaving another kiss on her forehead. "I'll be back soon, yeah?"</p><p>"Yeah. Love you, Perce."</p><p>"Love you."</p><p> </p><p>As Percy approached his family, looking to those around him as if he was walking to his death, Lara glanced at Oliver and gave him a nod.</p><p>Oliver brought his fingers to his lips and blew, a sharp whistle filling the room. Heads turned to him and he grinned, barely raising his voice in the silence that followed the sharp sound. "Insurgents, fall in."</p><p> </p><p>Percy smiled proudly as people split from stunned families and friends, falling into a large circle around his wife and best friend, before turning back to his family and heaving a great sigh. What was he supposed to say?</p><p>"Mum, Dad," he breathed, words failing him as he stood before the group.</p><p>He gave Bill and Fleur a slight nod in greeting.</p><p>Fortunately, the awkward silence was broken as Ginny let out a foul curse that had their mother gasping her name. "Percy? Wait, you're King? You're - Lara's - King?"</p><p>Of course, it was the perfect time to have that realisation.</p><p>Percy flushed lightly, giving a defeated shrug that was more of an admission than anything. "If it's anything, I hate the bloody name."</p><p>"But why?"</p><p>The man looked around at his family and heaved a heavy sigh. "I can't explain it all, it'd take too long. The most of it is, I made a mistake - I trusted the Ministry, even though I knew he was back. I wanted to come back as soon as I left, but Quee-Lara and I took advantage. I was publicly against Dumbledore and all of you, so nobody questioned my loyalties. I needed to keep the animosity going so I could keep my position. It meant I could access the files of people being brought in."</p><p>"The raids," Arthur breathed. "Muggleborns disappearing days or hours before they were to be captured. That was you?"</p><p>He watched the way they all seemed to look him over, and noticed the precise moment they saw the nasty scars that stretched across his throat and disappeared down into his Ministry robes. He suppressed the urge to run his fingers across it as Lara was wont to do when she couldn't sleep. He hoped that they would live long enough to do it again.</p><p>He had hated it at first; despised the reminder of such an obvious flaw, but...the idea of her fingers on his throat, soft and gentle and loving and Lara. Well, perhaps he had grown to love the contact.</p><p>Percy blushed, feeling the heat rising to his cheeks at his usually keen mind drifting away, giving a slight self-conscious shrug. "Not just me. I got the files, memorised the names. Lara did the same at Hogwarts with students who were in danger. X was our in with the Death Eaters, warning us about every planned raid. Penny and Oliver were in charge of setting up the safe spaces and rescues, and we all did the actions together with the rest of the Insurgents. The name was Pen's idea. She's back at base with the kids."</p><p>"The kids?!"</p><p>Percy chuckled and shook his head slightly. "Not what you think - there's five of them. Anna, Olly, Mikey, Hope and Grace. Only Grace's mine and Lara's - she's two in a couple of weeks."</p><p>His mother didn't say a word, seemingly not registering his last comment, instead lurching forward and pulling him into a hug that threatened to break his ribs.</p><p>Percy smiled, pulling back after a moment, stepping away regretfully. "I'm sorry, I need to help Queen and Keeper."</p><p>Arthur smiled lightly, though his face was pale. "I'm proud of you, Son." He pulled Percy into a short but warm embrace before releasing him. "Go."</p><p> </p><p>Percy gave a nod followed by an awkward wave towards his siblings, and turned to his rebellion with a grin, his back slightly straighter than before.</p><p>Molly and Arthur watched their son together. They noticed the easy confidence he had never seemed to have before. It suited him.</p><p>Lara greeted him with a soft kiss to the cheek, both of them ignoring the mocking groans and retching sounds from their friends - no, family. "Right, and just in time we have King's group."</p><p>Percy smiled at them all and began to speak, the rehearsed words coming easily. "As you all know, obviously - we've gone over this ten times already - on my team is Crash, Fox, Giant and CJ. Reserve is Giant - you all have the chains, right?"</p><p>When he received an affirmative answer, he smiled and continued, confidence growing as the group listened to him without comment. The first time they had listened fully, had accepted his words as gospel, he had been stunned, hit with the almost physical realisation that he was trusted, believed, accepted by those around him. "We're down by the Entrance Hall - I want Crash and Fox on one side, CJ and I will be on the other. Don't let anyone on their side pass, as you know. They won't be sending expelliarmus at us, so neither should we. Ready?"</p><p>The three men and one woman approached him, wands out and eyes filled with fire.</p><p>The rest of the circle had divided into another four groups, all of them looking to be filled with adrenaline. He could see the way Willow tapped his wand against his thigh in trepidation.</p><p>"Hey," Lara called, "Back together, yeah? We all know where we're going. We can split in a mo’. Everyone good?"</p><p>The circle gave nods of confirmation, none of them particularly convincing. Nervous glances were exchanged, fingers twisting, wands twirling between fingers.</p><p>"We're gonna be fine," Oliver called, slightly stiff smile on his face as he double checked the chain around his wrist. "Afterall, we gotta be if we want to go to that party of King and Queen's. Monopoly's back on!"</p><p>The group cheered slightly, whoops intermingled with protests, spirits starting to rise until a harsh scream filled the room.</p><p>It had begun.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0044"><h2>44. Chapter 44</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had begun.</p><p>Percy gave Lara a short look, filling it with everything he wanted her to know, before pulling back and looking to his team, who were gazing at him for direction.</p><p>He gave a decisive nod, wand in his hand. "C'mon, let's get these fuckers!"</p><p>Crash, Fox and CJ grinned, giving light agreements while Giant moved to the side of the doors, ready to move at a moments notice.</p><p>Giant gave the group a nod. "Good luck, Boss, I'll be there."</p><p>Percy smiled at him, patting his back lightly as he passed, noticing with a fond smile how the others copied him.</p><p> </p><p>"Bloody hell, Son," Arthur said, stunned as they headed purposefully down the stairs, eyes on their destination. "You, Percy Weasley, leading a rebellion."</p><p>Crash grinned cheekily. "I dunno Sir, Queen has the boss wrapped right 'round her finger. She's the real boss."</p><p>Fox snorted, her eyes serious despite the levity in her voice. "That's definitely true. Queen's the real boss." The way she teasingly leered at him showed the true meaning of her words.</p><p>Percy scoffed lightly and rolled his eyes. "What makes you think that, Fox? Am I not cut out for the job? I'll have you know-"</p><p>CJ jumped in, a mischievous smirk on his face. "Ew, Boss! Don't want to know what you two get up to! But prob'ly not, we saw the incident back at base last week."</p><p>Arthur shot his son a confused glance, eyebrows raising at the flush that filled his haughty face. Fox noticed and shook her head. "Don't ask, Sir. You really don't want to know. Merlin, what an absolute clusterfuck!"</p><p>"If I recall correctly," Percy said loftily as they took positions in the hall, backs to the walls and wands at shoulder height. "You were the culprit, Fox. I'd be very careful with my words. Especially considering the fact that I know a lot of your darkest secrets."</p><p>The woman snickered, throwing him a wink as she called his bluff.</p><p>"What's with the names?" Arthur asked quietly as he stood beside his son.</p><p>Percy chuckled fondly. "We had to be careful while exchanging information, if anyone had found out our identities, we'd be dead. We spent a night at mine and Lara's house back in, what was it, Fox? '96? Merlin, almost two years...and spent the night drinking and choosing names that we'd remember. I’ll have to tell you about it when this is all over. Me and Lara didn't drink, obviously. Grace was only a couple weeks old at that point."</p><p>"It - can -"</p><p>Percy smiled gently, understanding what he was trying and failing to ask. "You'll love her when you meet her, Dad. Not long, now."</p><p>Arthur smiled lightly, about to comment when the doors opened once more and McGonagall entered, followed by a group of Order members and fellow staff.</p><p>She paused for a moment, an uncommon slight smile on her face. "Mr Weasley, good to see you."</p><p>Percy smiled warmly. "You too, Professor. Queen said to tell you that she, Keeper and Ice are up in the Astronomy tower, the Seventh floor and in the Hospital Wing respectively. All's secure."</p><p>The woman paused for a moment at the revelation that Percy was a member of the group which had been helping smuggle students and information in and out of Hogwarts for the past year. She sighed. "Which one are you?"</p><p>Percy straightened proudly despite the relatively pompous nickname, remembering how he and his wife had objected to the monickers so long before. He had come to love the name. "King."</p><p>CJ snorted from a few steps away but didn't speak in the face of Percy's sharp glower. He had a lot of experience with being on the receiving end of that particular expression, and had no desire whatsoever to have a repeat of last time.</p><p>McGonagall shook it off, giving him yet another rare smile. Oh, she had always known that Percy would make her proud. Her belief had been shaky for a long while, but she had always believed in him. "I will have to hear about it when this is over, Mr Weasley."</p><p>As Percy went to nod, the chain on his wrist began to burn, a voice ringing out. Lara's. "Defences breached. Incoming."</p><p>"Wands out," Percy called redundantly, eyes narrowing, a spell on his lips as McGonagall moved towards where CJ was standing on the other side of the door. The group of six glanced at one another, faces hardening as they steeled themselves for what was about to come.</p><p> </p><p>Percy managed to catch the first Death Eater, shooting a strong "Reducto" at the mask and stepping back out of view from outside.</p><p>It seemed that after the first Death Eater, the battle began.</p><p>"Bombarda!" Percy yelled, glowering as the jet of light hit the right arm of the Death Eater, who quickly shot back the emerald green curse despite his suddenly missing other arm. He jumped to the side, the curse missing him by only a few inches.</p><p>The black-robed figure went down as CJ hit him from behind, a purple glow covering him for a moment before he collapsed and didn't get back up.</p><p>"Cheers!" Percy shot him a nod and moved on.</p><p> </p><p>From the Astronomy tower, Lara could see the destruction on the grounds and in a small moment of peace, brought the chain to her lips and pressed her wand to it. "All available reserves to the front of the castle immediately."</p><p>She looked up and shot a strong "Diffindo" at the approaching Death Eater, obviously hitting a lucky spot as the figure went down immediately, blood beginning to pool beneath them.</p><p>"Queen," Willow gasped lightly. "Dementors!"</p><p>"Shit!"</p><p>From the tower, they could see the smoky creatures beginning to descend onto the grounds, avoiding the Death Eaters.</p><p>"Green, Serpent, you three guard us. Light, Willow, we need to join."</p><p>The two men gave a short nod, following her. Light raised the chain to his mouth, reporting the information on the dementors, as well as the fact that he, Willow and Lara were headed down.</p><p>"Confringo!"</p><p>"Deprimo!"</p><p>"Reducto!"</p><p>Lara ducked as jets of light passed her, throwing up shields with every other spell, keeping an eye on her companions as they raced towards the entrance, tripping over the occasional piece of rubble and ducking behind half-destroyed walls as debris flew past with a vengeance.</p><p>She grabbed onto Willow and Light's arms, pulling them behind a half-burned tapestry and dragging them down the familiar passageway, smiling when they appeared down the corridor from the entrance hall.</p><p>"Bombarda!" She grimaced at the result, pushing through the fight until they reached the double doors, glaring out at the darkening sky.</p><p>She smiled at her husband, thinking of him - early mornings spent in bed, hands clasped, old records, warmth - and their daughter - colourful books, ringing laughter, mint and raspberry shampoo, chubby hands reaching - as she raised her wand once more, the group speaking in unison. "Expecto Patronum."</p><p>It was a small spark of light in an otherwise pitch-black night as the two foxes shot from the wands and met in the middle of the room as they lurched for the black figures.</p><p>Fighting together as their owners were.</p>
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<a name="section0045"><h2>45. Chapter 45</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As with all great plans, it was derailed almost immediately, ending up with Percy on the third floor battling two Death Eaters at once while his wife fought to protect a particularly stubborn third year (who had somehow managed to hide out in a cleaning cupboard) from Greyback.</p><p>Percy let out a light hiss as a spell hit his shoulder - missing his throat only because he had dodged at the last second - leaving a deep gash. His eyes narrowed as he shot a huge gust of air at them, knocking them back a couple of steps before casting "Incendio", pushing power into it as it moved towards the two Death Eaters, engulfing them in seconds. </p><p>"Diffindo," he whispered as he passed them, giving them the mercy of an easy death as they lay gasping on the ground.</p><p>Lara let out a yelp as Greyback managed to overpower her, prepared to fight physically where she wasn't.</p><p>Percy allowed the anger to consume him. "Reducto."</p><p>The werewolf didn't see it coming as it hit him in the middle of the back.</p><p>Lara gave him a disdainful frown as she looked down at the gore that covered her body before gazing back up at him. He gave a helpless shrug, holding a hand out for her before looking back at the pale green student.</p><p>He nodded to himself. "C'mon, let's get you out of here, Kid."</p><p>"No."</p><p>"No?" Lara's voice was dangerous, dark eyes full of a fire that hadn't left since they had left their daughter in the hands of another.</p><p>"I'm staying to fight."</p><p>Percy looked at the Gryffindor tie, singed as it was and suppressed a frustrated sigh. As per usual. "Look," he said quietly. "You're not of age, they will kill you. He would have killed you if it wasn't for Queen. You're coming with us and you're going to the rest of the kids your age. No arguments."</p><p>When the boy looked like he was going to protest, Lara went in for the killing blow, forcing herself to be unnecessarily blunt. "If we weren't here, you'd be dead. If King wasn't here, the two of us would be dead. If we're protecting you, we aren't protecting ourselves. You being here is putting others in danger."</p><p>Tears rose in the boy's eyes and she sighed. "Come on, we need to go before others come."</p><p> </p><p>Lara sighed as they stood outside the Room of Requirement, finally student-free. "Right, back to work, eh?"</p><p>Percy grinned, giving Oliver and his team a nod as they passed.</p><p>"All going good, Keeper?"</p><p>"Yes, Boss," the man teased. "all going good."</p><p>"Good." </p><p>"Need help on the grounds," CJ uttered. "Bloody monster spiders!"</p><p>Lara and Percy raced back towards the staircases, ducking under spells and curses and jumping over fallen stones, passing bodies and hating that they couldn't stop to pay their respects.</p><p>"Oi, Minister!" Percy yelled, cheeks red from exertion as he noticed Thicknesse duelling one of his brothers, moving forward and joining the duel while his wife knocked down Mulciber with a blood boiling curse. "Did I mention I was resigning?"</p><p>He muttered something, a vicious smirk on his face as a rancid grey sea urchin appeared in the previous Minister's place. At the time, he hadn't thought the spell would be useful to learn - that'd teach him.</p><p>Fred gasped, side-stepping a green curse. Lara hit the Death Eater. He didn't rise. "You're joking, Perce? I haven't -"</p><p>The ceiling above them began to crumble, huge cracks beginning to form as it crumbled almost in slow motion, dark dust falling down onto them.</p><p>Lara jumped forward, pushing the two men to the side and down onto the grimy floor as the world exploded around them. </p><p>"Fuck," she murmured, blinking wearily as she looked at the men kneeling beside her. "Y'okay?"</p><p>Percy scowled, though his face was pale and his eyes were filled with relief. "Do anything like that again, I'll kill you myself."</p><p>He leaned forward, rubbing grey dust from her cheeks as he pushed their lips together ferociously, seeking comfort that only she could provide him. One side of his glasses was cracked, slightly crooked.</p><p>The woman chuckled hoarsely as he pulled back, trying to move but finding herself unable to do so. As the adrenaline began to wear off, she felt the beginnings of a fiery aching pain beginning to race up her legs.</p><p>"Trapped," Fred said as he noticed the pained expression on her face, his own dirty face unusually sober. "We'll get you out."</p><p>She waited patiently as Fred lifted the rocks and debris from her legs while Percy kept his wand up, sharp eyes scanning their surroundings.</p><p>"Light's down," Willow's sorrowful voice filled the air as their chains burned against their wrists.</p><p>The small amount of levity in the air disappeared instantly as husband and wife heard the words.</p><p>Percy sighed deeply, shoulders slumping as he exchanged a look with Lara. "His son..."</p><p>She smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes and her lips were trembling. "It'll be okay, Perce. We'll figure it out."</p><p>She thought about the blond haired man, about how he had been the one to bring Percy back to her after the attack; how he had been the one to keep him alive long enough to portkey back and be healed. About how his face lit up when his son had learned to walk, and how he had cried when his first steps were towards him.</p><p>"We have space," Percy murmured. "Grace loves him."</p><p>"Let's think about it, yeah? When we're out of this, back home?"</p><p>He gave a nod and sad smile that she copied.</p><p>Fred finally lifted the last piece of rubble, freeing Lara's legs and gave a decisive nod as he leaned down to help her up, grimacing as her legs gave out almost immediately.</p><p>"Hospital Wing?"</p><p>Lara gave a nod as Percy moved forward to stand by her side side, wrapping her arm around his shoulders as he lifted her up into his arms. "Fred, d'you mind being defence?"</p><p>The man gave a grin and nod as they began their trip.</p><p>"Ice, we have incoming. Queen's injured but alive."</p><p>As they hurried down the corridor, Fred struck up a conversation between shooting off defensive spells, mind drawing back to the pre-battle conversation. "As if you, Percy, were the first to have a kid."</p><p>"Who did you think it'd be?"</p><p>Lara answered for him, her smile tired. "Bill."</p><p>"What's she like?"</p><p>Percy smiled fondly. "She's brilliant. Just like her mother. She's two in two weeks, and she's already so smart."</p><p>Lara chuckled lightly, voice weak with pain. "She has him wrapped around her little finger, the trouble maker. She has the Weasley hair, too."</p><p>Ice met them outside the double doors, her gaze assessing. Blood and dirt covered her robes and exposed skin, a nasty bruise beginning to form around her left eye. "Merlin's nutsack, Queen, what'd you do?!"</p><p>"Saved these two sods. Falling ceiling."</p><p>"King, I'll be having a look at that arm, too."</p><p>Ice muttered curses under her breath as she found an empty space, beginning to work as a voice filled the area, announcing an hour for Harry Potter to come to the forest.</p>
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<a name="section0046"><h2>46. Chapter 46</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"I need to find George," Fred muttered as Ice finished wrapping the bandages around Lara's legs, strictly warning her to be more careful not to damage them further. He had been stood around out of concern, but once he realised that the woman was going to be okay, he needed to find his brother. Be sure that he was alive.</p><p>Percy grabbed his shoulder, holding him in pace as he turned for the doors. "I'll ask."</p><p>He brought his wrist to his lips, pressing his wand to the silver metal as he spoke, voice too quiet in the loud room. "Meet in Hospital Wing. Anyone seen George Weasley?"</p><p>There was only a short moment before an answer was given. "On our way, King. George's with us," Oliver's voice rang around the room. "How's Lara?"</p><p>"She's alright."</p><p>Percy gave his brother a wan smile, leading him to sit on the ground. "They're on their way. He's okay. Just sit, yeah?"</p><p>Lara ignored them, her eyes caught on the other side of the room, her face losing all of its colour as she let out a quiet cry. "Perce..."</p><p>The man followed her eyes, choking as he caught sight on the man laid on the ground. He rose to his feet quickly, holding an unsteady hand out for Lara as he did so. "Fred-"</p><p>The twin gave him a serious nod, eyes kind and mouth set in a straight line as he followed their line of sight. "Go."</p><p>The walk across the room was slow, a mix of walking around huge groups of people injured in the battle, and a reluctance to see the truth.</p><p>The woman let out a quiet breath as they stood at the feet of the man they had gotten to know extremely well in the past two years. She shook her head in slight denial as her husband pulled her to his chest, resting her head on his shoulder, the material stiff and scratchy, covered in dust and grime.</p><p>This was the man who had comforted her while she was terrified of having a baby on the verge of a war. This was the man who had guarded her husband from almost imminent death, and brought him home only to stay awake all night to be sure that she was okay.</p><p>How could this happen? How could this brave, kind man be gone?</p><p>The body in front of them was most definitely Light, but at the same time wasn't. </p><p>Light was full of warmth and had an eternal smug smile on his lips. </p><p>This man was ice cold, face frozen in an eternal blank expression, eyes closed as if asleep.</p><p>He had a son at home.</p><p>A hand on their shoulders made them flinch, hands on wands as they turned.</p><p>Oliver gave them an apologetic glance, his face stony and stiff but still his own. "Sorry. I'm so glad you're both okay."</p><p>"Me too," Percy whispered. "I thought...I don't know. It's..."</p><p>"Yeah," Lara agreed as she moved to hold tightly to both of their hands, her own shaking enough that the two men looked at her in concern. There weren't any words.</p><p>A familiar scarred man approached slowly, a dark purple haired woman with a kind but fierce face trailing behind him.</p><p>Percy smiled weakly. "Professor, it's good to see you." Alive, he almost tacked on the end, but it just didn't seem right.</p><p>Lupin gave a fond nod, eyes sad as he looked at the young man before them.</p><p>Slowly, the rest of the group joined them, over twenty men and women surrounding one fallen man in a misshapen semi-circle. Looking around at all of them, Lara could see the weary expressions and knew that the reality had hit them; they could die, they still might.</p><p>Oliver turned around suddenly, addressing the group as he put on a slight smile that didn't meet his eyes. "To Light!"</p><p>They spoke it back to him in unison, small smiles appearing as they began to separate slowly, heading to family members and friends.</p><p>Lara knelt down beside the man, a hand on his cold cheek. "We'll take care of Mikey. I promise. Love you, mate." She pressed a light kiss to his cold, dirt-covered cheek before rising once more and linking her hand with her husband's, shooting him a slight sad smile as they headed to the group of dirty red-heads close to the doors.</p><p> </p><p>Percy joined his family quietly, barely noticed until his mother turned from fussing at the bandage on Bill's shoulder. </p><p>"Oh, Percy," she whispered, looking him up and down, eyes pausing once more on the scar across his throat before sweeping over to his wife. "Lara, oh, it's good to see you, dear."</p><p>Lara smiled warmly. "You too, Mrs. Weasley." </p><p>She felt overdue tears welling up in her eyes as the woman pulled the two of them into a tight hug.</p><p>"Wait, Lara? Is that a ring?"</p><p>Lara glowered mockingly, cheeks turning pink, at Bill as Mrs Weasley pulled away, eyebrows furrowed.</p><p>Percy chuckled lightly, rolling his eyes upwards and squeezing her hand. "You know full well that it is, William."</p><p>"You knew?!"</p><p>"Wait," Oliver called from behind them, obviously having heard the last part of the conversation. He put on a scandalised voice that made the two share a horrified look. "You mean to tell me that you didn't tell your family about eloping?"</p><p>Lara thumped the man in the arm. "You know full well, Ol. You're such a prat. We so should've had Elvis as a witness!"</p><p>"Elvis?"</p><p>Fred and George's eyes were full of mischievous glee. "Percy? Perfect Prefect Percy eloped?"</p><p>The man smiled, his eyes narrowing slightly in an unusually dangerous expression that warned them not to object. "We did. In Vegas. It was brilliant."</p><p>His family seemed stunned silent, staring between the three newcomers without speaking.</p><p>Glancing awkwardly around the room, she could see Ice and Serpent wrapped in a tight embrace in one corner of the room, both women smiling against one another's lips. She grinned and nudged Percy lightly, nodding over to them.</p><p>"Damn," he muttered, putting on a fake scowl. "Couldn't they have kept it in their pants a couple weeks longer?"</p><p>Oliver snorted. "You lost?"</p><p>"Mhm," Lara hummed, shooting her husband a victorious smile. "Perce's gotta do anything I want for a full day of my choice."</p><p> </p><p>"Yeah, no. I really don't wanna know 'bout that." A voice rang lightly from the side, grabbing their attention.</p><p>The woman lurched forward, pulling the black-robed figure into her arms as she checked him over for injuries, turning his face this way and that. "X! Oh Merlin, are you hurt?!"</p><p>"Flint?" Fred and George brought up their wands, faces suddenly serious.</p><p>Percy jumped in front of his wife and friend, raising one hand in surrender, wand suddenly in his left hand, prepared to protect them from his own family. "He's fine, he's on our side."</p><p>Oliver stood beside him, wand up and ready to protect them. "He's with us. He turned."</p><p>Percy smiled fondly as he watched his wife talk in a whisper with Flint, her face concerned. "Everything good?"</p><p>Marcus grinned, giving him a nod. "Yeah, King. Cover's kept."</p><p>"Bloody hell, mate," Oliver sighed, pulling him into a half hug, patting his roughly on the back and passing him off to Percy. "How'd you do that?!"</p><p>The ex-Death Eater tapped the side of his nose with a gloved hand, a shit-eating grin on his face for a moment before he paused, grasping his forearm, face twisting into a pained grimace. "They're coming."</p><p>Percy nodded, lifting his wrist. "Head to the grounds. Death Eaters incoming."</p><p>"Group up," Oliver called as the Insurgents turned to look in their direction, watching pridefully as they quickly formed small groups and approached, grimy and bloody faces deadly serious.</p><p>They were the first to leave the room, hurriedly but calmly heading down to the entrance where they could already see a huge black crowd of Death Eaters approaching.</p><p>"Is...is that Hagrid?" CJ asked, a frown on his young scarred face.</p>
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<a name="section0047"><h2>47. Chapter 47</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lara let out a quiet yelp as she was thrown back against the wall in an explosion of burning flames, quickly sending a wall of water back at her enemy. She could feel her energy waning from exertion, but knew she wouldn't survive if she didn't keep it up.</p><p>She let out a sigh of relief as the man went down quickly in a flash of silver-grey light, struck from behind. Oliver stood behind him, wand outstretched and a self-satisfied grin on his lips as he turned to his next unfortunate opponent.</p><p>She could see Professors McGonagall and Slughorn, as well as a member of the Order, duelling Voldemort and holding their own. Harry Potter had disappeared somewhere in the middle of the courtyard when Neville Longbottom had attacked Voldemort’s snake, and she had no doubt that he was figuring something out, ready to strike.</p><p>"Bombarda!" Lara gave Giant a smile as they passed one another, already having found her next target, dodging around vicious House Elves stabbing at every Death Eater they could reach.</p><p>Across the room, Percy and CJ fought together, wands swiping, lights flashing, ducking and moving around each other as they attacked the figure. Percy finally found a gap in the defence, shooting off a blood-boiling curse and moving on. </p><p>He could see his mother duelling Bellatrix Lestrange and grimaced, moving toward the duo, ducking and twisting around curses, shooting them back, his attention on his mother's fight as he calculated the best moment to jump in.</p><p>He let out a huff as he was grabbed and pulled out of the way of a collapse, thanking Fox in a murmur as they fought who the believed to be Rowle. </p><p>He grimaced at the dark curses, moving around them and sending his own back, distracting the Death Eater as Fox moved around, hitting him from behind with a smirk.</p><p>He watched as the smirk froze.</p><p>He let out a yell surging forward, grabbing the woman as she fell and letting out a huge sigh of relief as he felt her pulse.</p><p>He ducked quickly, pulling her to the side of the room and laying her against the wall, casting every protection charm that he knew on her when "rennervate" didn't work.</p><p>Nodding to himself, he jumped back in, watching as his mother tore down Lesteange with a vicious swipe of her wand. </p><p>The snakelike man began to retaliate, an emerald light beginning to build up at the end of his wand. Harry Potter reappeared in what seemed to be a flash, casting off what was obviously an invisibility cloak, casting a “Protego” between an enraged Voldemort and his mother.</p><p> </p><p>It was over in a matter of minutes, Lara pondered as she sat beside Percy in the Hospital Wing less than an hour later. Ice worked tirelessly on the burns that covered her arm and shoulder before moving onto the shallow scrapes on her back, despite Lara's protests.</p><p>Potter had been quick to defeat the Dark Lord, telling him exactly what had happened, what he knew and what had gone wrong. He had then defeated him with a bloody Expelliarmus. </p><p>Lara sighed quietly, leaning her head against Percy's bandaged shoulder and closing her eyes wearily as she felt the tugging sensation at the back of her neck. "It's fine, Ice. I'm okay."</p><p>The woman shook her head despite the fact that Lara couldn't see it. "I'm almost done, Boss. You're gonna have to be careful holding the Munchkin, though. King’s gonna be on that job for a few days, yeah?"</p><p>Lara nodded reluctantly as her friend finished up and stepped back with a satisfied smile, pulling her sweater back down over the clean bandages. "Thank you, Kay."</p><p>The couple looked around as they rose unsteadily to their feet, eyes catching those in their group, taking a stock of everyone's injuries.</p><p>Lara smiled gently as she raised her wrist to her lips. "Well done everyone. Saturday Game Night?"</p><p>Willow was the first to reply, his soft voice ringing in the ears of everyone in the room. "Sounds perfect, Queen. Just keep King and Keeper away from Monopoly, the crafty buggers."</p><p>A long line of affirmative followed, all of them agreeing, and with the last reply, it had been decided unanimously that Percy and Oliver were most definitely not allowed to play Monopoly.</p><p>Percy grinned and took the friendly abuse, relaxing noticeably as the group converged in the corridor outside the Hospital Wing, slowly making their way through the castle until they reached the Great Hall, where they swept aside some of the mess, scourgified a few areas and sat themselves down on what had once been the Gryffindor table.</p><p>"Oi, Queen," CJ called from the other end of the table, continuing when the woman shot him a nod. "D'you think we can get Greek this weekend?"</p><p>Lara glowered at him. "CJ, I'm gonna ban you. Permanently."</p><p>"Bite me."</p><p>"Nah," Lara laughed. "I'm sure Fox'd be happy to."</p><p>The recently reanimated red haired woman smiled widely, the scars on her cheeks twisting grotesquely, showing her teeth to the man opposite her. "Yeah. I am pretty hungry."</p><p>"Well," Percy decided quietly. "Base's doors are open to everyone who wants to join. You're all family."</p><p>Crash smiled slightly, giving the man a nod. "I'm in, Boss. Back to yours later?"</p><p>Percy glanced at Lara, and when she gave a slight shrug, he nodded. "Fine with us. It'll be a lot of sleeping, though, yeah? Don't know about everyone else, but I'm knackered!"</p><p>Looking around, Lara could tell that the others were likely feeling the same exhaustion. Their faces were caked in dirt and dust and dried blood, their faces pale and weary. Their clothes were torn and dirty, covered in all sorts of bodily fluids, mud and everything else they had come into contact with. Their eyes, though, were bright and cheerful and hopeful. Their lips were twisted into small grim smiles.</p><p>"Well," Oliver decided. "I think we've done pretty bloody good today!"</p><p>He pulled laughter from the rest of the group, drawing attention from those surrounding them.</p><p>Percy nodded his agreement, smiling slightly, sadly. "Will- is everyone up for a small memorial for Light tonight?"</p><p>Giant nodded first. "Sounds good. Does Mikey know what's going on? What's going to happen?"</p><p>Percy sighed quietly. "I don't know. I know that Light has - sorry, uh, had a sister. I don't know a lot other than that."</p><p>"She was all he had," Lara murmured, though her words were heard. "He told me once. She's a muggle, but she knows about our world. We'll have to get into contact. I don't know what happens."</p><p>"It'll be okay," Oliver decided firmly, his expression showing his stubbornness. "We'll make it okay. We've done it before."</p><p>"We have, haven't we?"</p><p>The group drifted apart slowly after that, with promises to meet up at the cottage that night after sleep and refreshing themselves. </p><p>Percy entertained his fingers with Lara's, pulling her gently towards his family with a smile.</p><p>"Hey Lara," Charlie greeted. "I saw that fire you managed to put out. Pretty damn impressive."</p><p>Lara grinned at him. "Can't let you have all the fun, huh, Truant? I still want to ride a dragon."</p><p>"After today, Queen," the man teased back, ruffling her knotted hair mindlessly. "I'd let you do anything."</p><p>While Percy rolled his eyes, the two laughed cheerfully, already falling into a conversation while his family stood in almost silence. He noticed that Ron and Ginny had disappeared, likely somewhere with Ron's best friends.</p><p>Looking around at the destruction that filled the room, he let out a deep sigh. He could picture the golden-lit room he had entered back in his first year. This was where he had sat with Lara, Penny and Oliver every evening, laughing and joking about the lessons and occurrences of the day. Would it ever be the first thing he remembered at the thought of Hogwarts? Or would it forevermore be overshadowed by the memory of a brutal battle?</p><p>How had everything changed so much?</p><p>Shaking his head slightly, he decided that he would just have to help rebuild.</p>
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<a name="section0048"><h2>48. Chapter 48</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was almost a full week after the battle when Lara and Percy finally opened their house to his family. The two of them had spent the day cooking, and the table in the kitchen had been filled with enough food for a small army (which they had a lot of experience with). </p><p>They had put it off a lot, wanting to rest and heal after the battle, having preparations for bringing the muggleborns and their families back out of hiding. There was also a selfish urge to hide away just the three of them and never return. The Insurgents had been visiting frequently, and the Saturday Game Night had gone ahead - Lara had hidden the Monopoly set. Most of the members had ended up drunk and sleeping various places across the house; it would become common in the next few months, an occasional occurrence that comforted everyone more than they would ever admit.</p><p>Despite their preparations, Lara and Percy still exchanged a horrified glance as there was a knock at the door.</p><p>"I'll get it," Lara said, kissing the man on his cheek. "You go check on Gracie."</p><p>In the few days after the battle, Mikey had been taken in by his aunt, a lovely muggle lady who lived only an hour away by train. She had happily agreed to allow them to visit occasionally, understanding that they had bonded in their time together, and wanting Mikey to keep his links to the Wizarding world he would be rejoining later in life.</p><p>She took a deep breath before opening the door, eyes widening involuntarily at the sight of the large crowd of red heads at the door, split up by a blonde, a brown and a black head of hair. "Come in, Perce's just upstairs with Grace, he'll be down in a mo'."</p><p>She led them through to the living room, transfiguring a few dining chairs into more comfortable armchairs as she brought them through. </p><p>The group looked around curiously as they sat down; the Weasleys hadn't been to visit since just after Percy and Lara had moved in a few years before, and Hermione and Harry had never been.</p><p>The couches were the same brown leather, slightly lighter from the almost relentless sun beaming through the windows during summer, topped with dark maroon cushions and folded throws. The coffee table had been traded for a new light beechwood piece after what had been dubbed 'The Monopoly Incident'. </p><p>The fire was roaring already, chasing away the early-May chills and casting the room with a red-gold light. Books had been piled on a shelf above the fireplace, seemingly in no discernible order, different heights and colours and thicknesses.</p><p>The record player was spinning quietly, an unfamiliar tune playing in the background that made Harry and Hermione exchange a grin between them. Beside it were multiple large boxes, each one labelled with different codes and lists of names - "J98, King, CJ, Crash, Fox, Giant". One of them was open, the lid a few metres away. A thick file lay open on top of the box, too far away to read the writing. </p><p>The maroon rug had been removed a few weeks before after a difficult raid had ended with a copiously bleeding CJ laying in the middle of the living room, leaving the light grey carpet beneath their feet.</p><p>It was homely, they decided, the type of room that reminded them of family nights spent by the fire. Of sitting on the couch with an old book. </p><p>Percy arrived only a moment later, Grace held on his waist and a comfortable smile on his lips.</p><p>Lara heard Molly give a light gasp at the sight of her first granddaughter and smiled. "This is Grace Lucy Weasley. She's a little shy." She smiled when the girl reached for her and hid her face in the hollow of her neck when passed over.</p><p>Percy took a seat on the sofa beside her, Grace's hand clasped around his finger with unusual strength for such a small girl.</p><p>"Oh Arthur," Molly whispered, awestruck. "She's so beautiful."</p><p>Lara smiled down at her daughter. "D'you wanna meet your grandma, Gracie?"</p><p>The girl's face lit up as she nodded enthusiastically despite her previous shyness.</p><p>Lara laughed as she passed her over to Molly, whose face was filled with a mixture of apprehension and amazement. "She's heard all about you all. She's been waiting to meet you."</p><p>She and Percy watched in silence as Molly and Arthur passed the girl between them, large smiles on their faces.</p><p>"Okay I need to ask," Ginny began and Percy and Lara exchanged a nervous look. "What the hell's going on?"</p><p>Percy and Lara took turns to explain, with Charlie, Bill and Fleur jumping in occasionally to give their sides of the stories, and watched as the family listened curiously to everything they said.</p><p>"You all knew?" Molly asked, her voice dangerous as she glowered at her two oldest sons and daughter-in-law.</p><p>Percy jumped in to defend them. "They couldn't tell anyone. They vowed. If you were to find out that I was still loyal to the family, my position would be lost and I would lose access to things that were needed."</p><p>"We could've pretended," Ginny argued, scowling slightly.</p><p>"You couldn't," Lara said bluntly with a shake of her head. "Is anyone in this family sufficient at Occlumency? Harry knows some, I know. But other than Harry it's a bet. A bet that we wouldn't take. Not with Percy's life. Bill knows Occlumency, so he could be told - not just because of that, but because of his and Fleur's links to France. Charlie doesn't know much Occlumency, I'll admit. I checked, and he's rubbish. Sorry, mate. But he's in Romania, would they check? If Percy's estranged from his family, why would he go to Charlie for help - they weren't particularly close before."</p><p>Percy placed a hand on her thigh, calming her almost instantly. "It wasn't all about me, or you. We discovered that Lara was pregnant before we started the Insurgence. If it was just about my safety, I would've come back home within the day. But we had a baby on the way. How could we risk that for the sake of being accepted once more?"</p><p>When one of the twins opened their mouth to object, Percy ploughed on. "Do you know how many lives the Insurgence groups saved directly?"</p><p>He looked around, noticing that only the members of their group were nodding and gave a sharp nod of his own. "One thousand, five hundred and seventy-eight. Twelve hundred of them were muggleborns." <br/>He didn't mention that he also knew the other side; the failures, those muggleborns and families they weren't able to save. The ones who haunted his dreams every night.</p><p>He looked at the dozens of boxes that lined the wall beside the record player, and his family followed. Each box was filled with files and notes and plans and reports. They held the name of every single muggleborn, blood-traitor, and family member they had been looking into. They were filled with the locations of every family in hiding, waiting for Lara and Percy to make the trips to find them and bring them home. He grimaced slightly as he thought about the files in the boxes of those who were no longer able to wait for them.</p><p>Lara continued for him, her voice soft, her hand on his knee, thumb tracing meaningless patterns against his jeans. "One thousand, two hundred muggleborns were saved directly by our groups. Every single muggleborn saved was on the list that Percy managed to obtain, so every muggleborn saved was saved because of Percy. If Percy hadn't stayed away, maybe he wouldn't have been caught. Maybe. But if he had been caught, well...those one thousand, five hundred and seventy-eight lives would be on the other side of the list. Not only that, There'd be another - Percy. That'd be if he was lucky."</p><p>"Lucky?"</p><p>Percy gave a nod. A lot of time had been spent making plans A through Z for every chance that something might go wrong, and every occurrence had been noted, planned for with multiple backups. They were in the boxes by the record player, too. In the one named 'King, TI, RP'. "If they had found out before the Ministry fell, I'd have been dismissed and the Insurgence stopped before it could begin. If I was caught after Voldemort took over the Ministry...well, I'd probably have been captured and tortured for information on others. They'd have tracked down every member of the Insurgence and their family. They'd have tortured and killed every one of them. Maybe they'd have let me live knowing how many people I had allowed to die. Maybe they'd have killed me. Either way, it wasn't worth the risk."</p><p>Lara linked their fingers together, placing a comforting kiss on his cheek as the family absorbed the information.</p><p>"So, what've you three been up to this week?" Charlie asked casually in an undertone, leaning forward so not to disturb the thinking group.</p><p>Lara smiled. "A lot of redecorating. Grace's decided that painting the walls is her new favourite pastime, so there's a lot of it to do."</p><p>Percy snickered. "Don't pretend you weren't the one to show her how, Queen."</p><p>"Yeah, Queen," Bill teased from where he had moved to sit beside the boxes, flipping through the open file and adding notes to the corners in a different coloured ink. "We know you're the one encouraging the rebellion."</p><p>Lara rolled her eyes, leaning back against Percy, relaxed for the first time in a while as she opted not to comment.</p><p>"Da," Grace babbled happily, eyes bright and curls bouncing as she reached for Percy, who grinned as he pulled her onto his lap, allowing her to take off and play with his new glasses.</p><p>"Who wants lunch?" Lara asked lightly, pulling everyone onto safer topics as she rose to her feet.</p><p>"I'll help," Molly said, following her to the kitchen.</p><p>Lara glanced back into the room, smiling at the sight of her husband and daughter playing happily, Iggy lounging lazily across the back of the sofa.</p><p>"He seems happy," Molly observed gently, her voice soft and calm.</p><p>Molly looked around the kitchen, taking stock of everything she could see. The round table was filled with trays of food, speaking of long hours spent cooking. The chairs were missing, had been brought through to the living room.</p><p>On the fridge were paintings held on by colourful magnets. Each painting was messy, mostly indecipherable, a mixture of uncomplimentary colours, but the fact that they were all displayed so proudly made her heart warm.</p><p>There were two pairs of muddy boots by the back door, neatly placed in a way that things usually weren't back at home. Beside the boots was a child-sized training broom leaning against the wall - Cleansweep, if she could see the brand clearly. </p><p>Lara gave a nod, turning to the older woman, knowing that she needed to talk her feelings out. "He is. He won't admit it under pain of death...well, not death but embarrassment, but it was torture to not be able to talk to his family."</p><p>Lara leaned against the counter, eyes meeting the older woman's. "I think the first time it hit him was when I told him he was gonna be a dad. He was so happy, so excited...but we were on the verge of a war. He didn't know what to do, how to keep us all safe, and the one thing he knew would help...was asking his parents." She looked down at the counter for a moment before continuing. "He started writing letters, you know, to you and Mr Weasley and to his brothers and sister, about everything. He'd ask you both questions about how to raise a child in these times. He'd tell you about what was going on. Everything. I bet if you asked, he'd probably give them to you."</p><p>Molly smiled tightly, eyes slightly red from holding in tears. "I think that I'd like that."</p><p>Lara moved forwards, pulling the woman into a tight hug and allowing her to cry it out onto her shoulder, rocking slightly back and forth as she did when Grace couldn't sleep at night.</p><p>When she pulled back, both of their faces were damp, smiles tremulous.</p><p>"Everything okay in here?" Percy asked, stood in the doorway with his customary raised eyebrows. His hair was slightly messy at the front, where Grace had been pulling at it.</p><p>Lara rolled her eyes mockingly and gave him a small albeit wobbly smile. "Fine, King. As you well know. No bloodshed."</p><p>Percy shrugged. "Sorry. We're all getting hungry, and you know how Gracie gets." He flicked his wand, two of the trays rising up into the air and following as he turned and left the room.</p><p>Lara and Molly exchanged a mutual smile as they lifted the others and brought them in.</p><p>"This is brilliant," Ron said through a mouthful of chicken. "Thanks Lara."</p><p>The woman laughed and shook her head. "It's Perce you should be thanking, he's the cook in this house."</p><p>Charlie nodded in agreement. "The dragons can cook better than Queen."</p><p>Lara rolled her eyes as Percy cheerfully told the 'Turkey Story', his grin wide and eyes filled with a mischievous light.</p><p>"If Lara's Queen and Percy's King," Hermione began shyly, the first time she had spoken. "What are you three?"</p><p>Percy smirked at their suddenly less than happy faces. "We didn't decide theirs until later - they were pretty much the last additions to the Insurgence. That meant they couldn't object. Bill's Goblin, Fleur's French because we love her and she's not as awful as her husband, and then we have the best - Charles is Truant."</p><p>"Truant?"</p><p>"Yes," Lara snickered as she allowed Grace to pull on her hair. "See, Charlie here has a bit of a habit for disappearing acts."</p><p>Charlie shot them a glower, biting viciously into his sandwich in lieu of giving a nasty reply.</p><p>"So, what are you two planning now?" Arthur asked lightly, pulling them back to safer ground.</p><p>Lara smiled slightly. "Professor McGonagall's offered me History of Magic Professor, so I'm thinking of taking that. After the rebuild's finished, of course."</p><p>"I'm not too sure, now. Don't want to go back to the Ministry after seeing everything they did," Percy explained in an undertone, reaching over to ruffle Grace's messy curls. "I think I might stay with Gracie a little longer. I missed a lot this past year, what with all of the raids and planning."</p><p>"We still need our honeymoon," Lara teased lightly. "A day in Romania might have been good enough for you, but I was thinking somewhere with a bit more sun, sea and sand."</p><p>Bill rolled his eyes. "You were in France less than a month ago, Queen."</p><p>Fleur shared an exasperated eye roll with her fellow Weasley wife, mentioning that the two of them should go together instead.</p><p>Lara laughed. "Oh no, I'm not leaving Bill and Perce alone together after Christmas."</p><p>Percy scowled at her while Bill gave a mockingly frustrated huff. "It was all Bill's fault. The tree would've been fine if not for that stupid charm!"</p>
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<a name="section0049"><h2>49. Chapter 49</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"So Boss," Oliver called across the Transfiguration classroom, looking up from where he had been working on reinforcing one of the archways. "What did Gracie think of her broom?"</p><p>The training broom had been bought the week before as an end of the war gift, mixed in with Oliver's love of spoiling his goddaughter.</p><p>Percy grinned at him, levitating a piece of stone into the pile of rubble in the middle of the room. "She loves it! We've had to hide it away, though, now she's learning to walk."</p><p>"Merlin, it feels so weird being back here," Lara admitted. "I can remember sitting right there in seventh year." She pointed to the front of the room, where a line of desks used to be.</p><p>There was a part of her who felt like a student entering the classroom, heading for the front desk with Percy, complaining about the upcoming lesson with Oliver. She could picture the blackboard covered in notes at the front of the room, the object or animal being used as an example. She thought for a mere moment that she could smell the ink and parchment amongst the dust.</p><p>Percy nodded, wiping dust from his forehead with the back of his hand. "Me too. That's where Keeper left a hole in the floor when he messed up the spell."</p><p>Lara could remember the horror on their friend's face as he looked between what had once been a table, and his unamused Transfiguration Professor's face.</p><p>"How did you even do that, Olly?" Lara asked, her lips twisting into a teasing grin as she looked over at her friend. "I can't even think of a way the spell could go so wrong!"</p><p>The Keeper shot her a glower, not answering as he finished the spell and gave a slight nod to himself, acknowledging that the specific task had been completed. It was a long and arduously difficult job, adding all of the enchantments back to every element of the castle as well as rebuilding.</p><p>The progress was slow going, with every small area of the castle needing to be worked on individually by small groups. The vast size of the centuries-old building was intimidating, but the group were slowly getting used to being there most of the time. This was the place they had all called home, whether it was on a temporary basis or not, and it had brought them all together; they owed it to the castle to bring it back to its former glory.</p><p>"When's the next return trip planned?" Penelope asked lightly, her eyes never leaving the section of wall being slowly rebuilt, stones sluggishly being dragged back into place. "I know the Killian files are all finished."</p><p>"They're ready to come back now," Lara said with a glance at Percy. "We're gonna go up to France next Monday. That's when the Cortez files will be done, so we can bring both families back at once. The safe houses are close enough that it makes sense."</p><p>Before the families could be brought back, things needed to be worked out. Houses had been abandoned, jobs deserted. A lot had changed in over a year and half, and these people were returning to a foreign world. There was a lot of red tape to go through, even within a secret rebellion society. Records were needed for future reference, for safety, even if they would never be filed or seen by outsiders.</p><p>There was a light cough from the doorway, drawing the group's attention to the newly-promoted Headmistress.</p><p>"Pro-Headmistress," Percy greeted civilly, looking away from the window as the panes of glass slotted back into place gracefully.</p><p>"Mr. Weasley," McGonagall said, gracing him with a small nod as she looked around the room. "How is it going in here?"</p><p>"Not too bad. We should be ready to move on in the next hour or so."</p><p>McGonagall gave a slight tilt of her head as she passed them and entered the office at the back of the room, only to return a few moments later with a tray filled with a pot, mugs and a familiar tartan printed tin. She placed it on the recently-fixed desk, pulling up a wooden chair and taking a seat, raising an eyebrow at the group when they didn't move.</p><p>Lara was the first to sit down, transfiguring the uncomfortable wooden chair into a cushioned armchair and collapsing into a boneless heap, taking the chipped mug of tea with a grateful smile.</p><p>Percy was quick to copy, opting not to change the chair as he sat, sipping politely at the scorching tea with a satisfied smile. His actions prompted Penelope and Oliver to copy him, pulling up their own individually transfigured chairs as they reached for steaming mugs.</p><p>“How are the rest of things going, Headmistress?” Oliver asked curiously, reaching for a biscuit and dipping it in his tea before taking a bite.</p><p>The woman smiled fondly. “Minerva, please. You are no longer a student at this school.”</p><p>Oliver grimaced slightly but nodded. “Yes, ma’am. Minerva.”</p><p>“As for your question, we’ll...it is going as well as can be expected. We have had a lot of help rebuilding, and hopefully the castle will be returned to how it was before.”</p><p>“Do we want that?” Penelope asked quietly.</p><p>“Excuse me?”</p><p>The blonde woman shrugged slightly, taking a sip of her tea. “Everything’s different, you know. Should we just erase everything that’s happened? Like nothing ever occurred?”</p><p>The elderly Professor sighed quietly and shook her head. “I will speak with staff about everything. But remember this, we will not forget everything that has happened on these grounds. The only thing we can do is rebuild and carry on.”</p><p>Lara nodded her agreement, linking her hand with Percy’s without thinking, a small smile playing on her lips. “Anyway, I heard you wanted to speak to us, Headmis-Minerva.”</p><p>“Yes I did. I wanted to know about your group. Everything seems rather well-planned.”</p><p>Oliver scoffed gently. “Well-planned? Of course it was! Percy was in charge! You remember him, don’t you, Professor?”</p><p>Percy rolled his eyes, shooting him a mocking glare over the rim of his mug. “There was a lot at risk. Planning was needed.”</p><p>“How did this start?”</p><p>Minerva thought about the first time she had heard of the group, back almost two years. It was just after Voldemort’s return, and there were whispers of a raid-gone-wrong near Dover. She hadn’t put much stock in rumours - never a good practice for a Professor - but the repeated mentions of an additional faction in the war had drawn her attention; The Insurgence.</p><p>Percy smiled softly. “Lara and I were talking. There were things going on and we could tell that things were changing. This was a few months after the Tri-Wizard Tournament. We called Keeper and Sickle, discussed everything with them and put a plan into action. After that, everything started quickly. We brought in a lot of allies and recruits and started training, planning, watching for things we knew to notice.”</p><p>“After the Tri-Wizard Tournament?” Minerva asked delicately.</p><p>“There was a small misunderstanding. I planned on using my position to gain information from the beginning, but I was too proud when I left.” Percy glanced at Lara, shooting her a warm grin. “But we managed it. Hell, we more than managed it.”</p><p>“Merlin yeah,” Oliver agreed with a gleeful laugh. </p><p>The Headmistress watched the four young adults as they laughed and joked between bites of shortbread and digestives, their dust-covered figures becoming younger until she could see those exact adults as children, just as stubborn and headstrong, albeit slightly more innocent and less world weary. </p><p>She bit off a piece of shortbread and thanked Merlin that they had lived long enough to be sitting before her, feasting on biscuits.</p><p>Minerva sighed and shook her head. “You four were always going to be the death of me.”</p>
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<a name="section0050"><h2>50. Chapter 50</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Things aren't perfect.</p><p>They likely never will be.</p><p>Lara smiled at her husband as he passed her a cup of tea with a gentle kiss to her lips. The Burrow was unusually quiet, with most of Percy's siblings sleeping upstairs. They were up early, before the sun had even risen, ready to head back to Hogwarts to continue with repairs from the night before. </p><p>Rebuilding the entrance hall was taking longer than expected with all of the needed wards and enchantments, and it had been past one in the morning by the time they had finally finished the one small area. Arthur had been quick to offer to let them stay at Percy's childhood home, knowing that they wouldn't want to be apart from Grace, who was being babysat and doted upon by Molly and Ginny.</p><p>Molly, Arthur and Harry sat at the table with them, the seventeen year old hunched over his breakfast as if expecting it to be stolen from him at a moments notice. He had been staying with them since the final battle, and it seemed that Molly and Arthur loved having a full house.</p><p>"How was Grace?" Percy asked quietly, the question aimed at his mother, as he helped himself to some porridge and added some honey to the top. "I hope she wasn't too much trouble."</p><p>The woman laughed lightly and shook her head. "Of course not! She was good as gold."</p><p>Lara snorted, exchanging a grin with her husband. "Oh, she's not like that at home. Being able to walk a little really isn't a good thing at the moment."</p><p>The group of parents laughed together as Molly began to tell a story about Fred and George as children, Arthur chiming in with extra details.</p><p>Percy disappeared from the table for a moment to bring Grace down, knowing that it was around the time she usually woke. He could hear the telltale sounds of someone else waking up, and as he passed a yawning Charlie and entered his old room, he was greeted with the surprising sight of his youngest brother sitting on the edge of the small, transfigured bed with Percy's sleeping daughter on his lap, a peaceful look on his face; something that had been rare in the weeks since the battle.</p><p>He looked up as Percy entered, face flushing slightly at being caught as he made to get up.</p><p>Percy shook his head slightly, shooting him a slight smile as he rooted through his wardrobe, searching for some clothes for the day. Yesterday's were covered in the usual grime and dust, and he wasn't planning on wearing them again without the knowledge that they had been cleaned to the best of his ability - a ‘scourgify’ just wouldn’t measure up.</p><p>"How long have you been in here?" He asked quietly as he set two pairs of jeans and sweaters to the side for himself and Lara, knowing that the woman probably agreed with the plan to not wear yesterday’s clothes after the mess on the fifth floor. He moved to sit beside the boy and ran a slightly shaking hand through Grace's tangled curls.</p><p>Ron shrugged. "Dunno, 'bout half an hour or so? She was awake at first, fell asleep a few minutes ago, I didn't want to wake her."</p><p>Percy nodded. "Calming, isn't it? Just sitting with her."</p><p>"Yeah..." Ron seemed unsure, eyebrows furrowing slightly as he seemingly hesitated over standing up and leaving.</p><p>"You're welcome to hold her, you know," Percy said softly, eyes on the girl's face. "She doesn't usually stay in one place for long. She likes you."</p><p>Ron grinned self-consciously before sighing deeply, slumping slightly where he sat. "How did you do it?"</p><p>"Do what?"</p><p>The boy - no, man - shrugged, hand waving around. "Everything. How did you cope without everyone? You left us, but you did so much. You have a kid, and you're married. You started a fuck-"</p><p>"Language." Percy gestured to the girl.</p><p>"Sorry. You started a rebellion. How?"</p><p>Percy smiled faintly, eyes far away as he spoke. "I had people around me. That's why I coped. I mean, I had Lara on the bad nights, where I could see what was happening in the Ministry and my mind was screaming for me to leave. Lara was the one that started the Insurgence, really. Oliver and Penny, too. She had the idea, we all used our links and people we knew to gather members."</p><p>He glanced at his brother, who was listening to his every word with an intensity he had never seen before. "Lara says the Insurgence wouldn't have happened without me. Which, yeah, they needed a spy in the Ministry. But we had others. We had a spy with the werewolves, in Hogsmeade, hell, even in the Death Eaters. I was just one part of one big picture." He shrugged slightly, shooting his younger brother a smile as his hand moved involuntarily to the thick scar crossing his throat. "In the end, without them I wouldn't be here to talk to you today."</p><p>"What happened?" Ron didn't seem to be sure whether he wanted the answer to his question.</p><p>Percy frowned slightly at the memory and shook his head. "I'm not hiding it. Just - could you ask that one later when we're all downstairs? I'd prefer for Grace to be distracted. Get it all over with at once, too."</p><p>Ron nodded quickly, shooting him a slight smile. "Yeah, 'course."</p><p>Percy gave him a grateful glance. "As for the other part of your question...it was difficult for a while. There couldn't be a record of my having a family, so we had to do it the muggle way. Don't tell Dad - there were a lot of confundus charms on muggles. By the time Grace was born, we had almost everyone. There was one man, though. Light."</p><p>"Light?" Ron asked quietly. He recognised the name of the man who had fallen in the battle; had seen the sobering effect the name had on the rebellion, his brother and Lara in particular. He wondered what the man had done to earn their respect - their love.</p><p>He nodded. "Yes. His real name was Thomas Weston. Tommy. He joined us a couple weeks before Gracie was born. He had a son, Mikey." Percy sighed and shook his head. "He taught me how to make sure a bottle of milk wasn't too hot, how to change a nappy. Things that you don't know to learn until it's too late, you know?"</p><p>"What was he like?" Ron asked, awestruck at the soft note in his older brother's voice.</p><p>"Brilliant." Percy smiled. "He loved Mikey more than anything in the world, he was such a good dad. I tried to be like him. He was so protective over all of us, too. He was only a couple years older than us, but he called us his kids. His wife died when Mikey was born, so he did everything he could to keep us safe. He was good. If I can live to be just half the man he was...well..."</p><p>Lara leant against the door, arms crossed as she watched her husband and brother-in-law talk, avoiding the more difficult topics, laughing and smiling at one another in a way that they hadn't since they were both children. Before the real world got to them and the darkness began to sink in.</p><p>Things weren't perfect.</p><p>The Burrow was sometimes both too quiet and too loud, filled with too many awkward pauses, eggshells surrounding different subjects, just waiting to be stepped on.</p><p>They would still wake up screaming at night.</p><p>Lara would still hold tight to her husband, hands gripping his arms as if he was the only thing holding her down. He would respond in kind.</p><p>They would still fall asleep outside Grace's bedroom with wands in hands, listening to her quiet snores as she slept peacefully, unaware that they were outside, prepared and ready to fight for her life.</p><p>They would probably never lower the excessive wards that surrounded their home.</p><p>Charlie would remain the secret keeper, with only immediate family, friends and members of the Insurgents having the precise location. Percy would still grab his wand, ready to strike with any unannounced, seemingly unfamiliar knock at the door.</p><p>Maybe things get better.</p><p>Maybe they don't.</p><p>They'll stick together and stand up as one, wands raised as they continue their legacy.</p><p>But really, did things need to be perfect? </p><p>After all, if everything's perfect, how do you know to appreciate what you have?</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>That’s it for this work - I’m still going back and editing, though!</p><p>I’m planning a book with one-shots of things mentioned in this, though, so that should be coming soon...</p><p>Hope you enjoyed :D</p>
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